Beginning in 1971, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) first issued 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D, “Walking-Working Surfaces” to help prevent injuries and fatalities resulting from slip, trip, and fall type exposures. Many efforts have been made to update the standard since 1971, and many believe the standard is outdated and does not reflect current technologies available to prevent these types of injuries and fatalities. Falls from heights and on the same level (a working surface) are among the leading causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. OSHA estimates that, on average, approximately 202,066 serious (lost-workday) injuries and 345 fatalities occur annually among workers directly affected by the final standard. OSHA has issued a final rule on Walking-Working Surfaces …
