Avoiding flooring hazards and complying with OSHA

Maintenance and engineering managers place a high priority on regulatory compliance and worker safety, according to an article from Facilities Maintenance Decisions on the FacilitiesNet website.

But the tasks technicians perform daily in institutional and commercial facilities present hazards, and despite managers’ best-laid plans, accidents happen, workers are injured, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) steps in.

OSHA requires that managers furnish “a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” This requirement means employers must identify and address workplace hazards, including hazards that workers encounter in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact. Workplace hazards include those associated with processes, environments, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, and mechanical irritants. 

Managers tend to overlook potential hazard that flooring represents, even though every employee, occupant and visitor comes in contact with it.

Read the article.