OSHA’s Walking-Working Surfaces Standard for a Safe Workplace

Dianoush Emami is a California-based electrical engineer who has overseen the design and maintenance of many power plants, including electrical high voltage substations and transmission and distribution facilities. A core focus of Dianoush Emami is to maintain proper safety protocol in accordance with industry standards including those set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

One major aspect of keeping a work environment safe is to avoid the occurrence of trips, slips, and falls. To achieve this, OSHA outlined the basic requirements and general guidelines necessary for the maintenance of the workplaces in general industry firms, in the revised Walking-Working Surfaces (29 CFR 1910.21-30) standard.

Requirements of this standard include keeping workroom floors as clean and dry as possible, with employers accounting for weather-related hazards, including ice and snow. In the case of places that utilize wet processes, it is crucial to install proper drainage systems and to have a separate dry space where employees can work safely and comfortably.

In addition, an employer must check the work surface to ensure that it is capable of supporting the maximum load intended for the space. Overall, all walking-working surfaces must be inspected regularly or when needed, to maintain a safe working environment.

Foundational Safety Measures That Reduce Electric Utility Hazards

Dianoush Emami is a well established electrical engineering professional working out of California. Mr. Emami has overseen diverse projects that ensured the reliability and performance of power plants. A particular focus for Dianoush Emami involved the implementation of safety programs specific to various environmental remediation and power plant projects.

When it comes to electric utility hazards, the four most common sources of fatalities and injuries are falls, engulfment in confined spaces, electrocution, and fires and explosions. One of the logistic solutions to these issues is by moving the power control station to the ground level from a raised platform, thereby eliminating the occurrence of falls. Also, slip and fall incidents can be significantly reduced by using textured floor tape in place of floor paint. 

Employees can also put up engineering controls by using physical barriers like railings, machine guards, and locked-out machines, to prevent them from walking into dangerous situations. In addition to using protective equipment, raising awareness on proper safety protocol and adhering to a standard operating procedure can also help reduce the risk of getting injured or worse while on the job.