2.1 Prevention and Control
2.1.1 Written Walking and Working Surfaces Plan
Each Microsoft location included in the scope of this program must develop a Site-specific Walking and Working Surfaces Plan (“Site Plan”). The Site Plan must be made available to any personnel potentially affected by the program including employees, external staff, or regulatory agency personnel. The Site Plan must include the following:
Program purpose and scope.
Applicable federal, state, or local regulatory requirements.
Personnel roles and responsibilities.
A Plan Administrator must be designated to oversee implementation of the Site Plan.
Definitions of terms critical to an understanding of the program, or those terms not commonly understood.
Incident investigations for all accidents or near-miss incidents related to the wailing and working surfaces.
2.1.2 Workplace Surveys and Inspections
Workplace surveys and inspections must be conducted in all areas of a facility, including garage spaces, rooftops, and boiler rooms which require occasional access for routine maintenance. The Plan Administrator must walk through these areas to perform a survey of the workplace. A workplace survey must include the following considerations:
Identification of all walking and working surfaces that contributed to incidents in the facility.
Specific hazards associated with the walking and working surfaces.
Other tasks conducted in the same area that may contribute to an unsafe walking or working surface.
Confirm that general housekeeping requirements are followed or have been met.
Surveys should be conducted monthly or more frequently depending on the workplace.
Formal inspections must be conducted and documented on a quarterly basis by the Plan Administrator. The inspections should include identifying:
Unsafe work practices.
Walking and working surface hazards.
Hazards related to the physical and material conditions of the buildings and equipment.
Immediate corrective actions for identified hazards or properly labeling, guarding, taping-off, or protecting areas in a way so it does not constitute a major hazard for surrounding personnel until the hazard is properly corrected.
Please refer to Appendix B, Walking and Working Surface Inspection Checklist for guidance.
2.2 Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment is an evaluation of health and safety hazards in a work task and determining the likelihood of personnel injury or property damage resulting from those hazards. These analyses will usually include:
Interviewing supervisors, employees, and external staff.
Observing work practices.
Reviewing supporting documents that may include applicable regulations and guidelines and SOPs.
Conducting air and/or surface sampling, where occupational exposure limits are in question or as otherwise necessary.
Engaging process experts to review the tasks and develop safe work practices for operation and maintenance.
The Plan Administrator will provide recommendations of appropriate engineering controls, administrative controls, work practices, PPE, or corrective action items. Supervisors must notify the Plan Administrator when:
For more information on the risk assessment process, consult the Microsoft Exposure Assessment Program.
2.3 Walking and Working Surface Hazards
The major hazards associated with walking and working surfaces include slips, trips, and falls.
Slips occur when there is not enough friction between the walking surface and a person’s foot, causing a loss of balance.
Slips can be caused by wet or oily surfaces, occasional spills, weather, or loose rugs and mats.
Trips occur when there is an unexpected obstacle that causes loss of balance, like uneven surfaces, clutter and debris, and open drawers.
Falls occur from slips and trips due to a complete loss of balance and can refer to the loss of materials from an elevated area or through an opening.
2.4 Safe Work Practices
Good housekeeping and awareness of the surrounding work environment is the primary preventative method in keeping personnel safe from potential walking and working surface hazards. As such, the following safe work practices should be followed:
Walking and working surfaces must be considered during the design and construction of a workplace.
Walking and working surfaces must be maintained in a safe condition through housekeeping and a proper maintenance schedule.
Regular maintenance must be performed so that surfaces are kept free of protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose tiles.
Lab and Facility Managers, as well as external staff should ensure that floors are kept clean and dry.
Janitorial services must put signs out warning personnel of the slippery and/or wet conditions until the area is addressed and dry.
Lab and Facility Managers must maintain drainage and provide false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing places where practicable.
Employees and external staff should run cords along walls instead of across aisle ways, shut file cabinets drawers when not in use, and push in vacant chairs.
2.4.1 Aisles and Passageways
All Microsoft employees and external staff must keep aisles and passageways clear and free of obstructions.
Ensure that interior hallways maintain proper egress and be kept clear of tripping hazards such as tables, chairs, trash cans, and discarded materials.
Ensure sufficient safe clearances for aisles, loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns or passage must be made where mechanical handling equipment is used.
Appropriately mark permanent aisles and passageways.
2.4.2 Building Component Load Ratings
It is unlawful to place, or cause, or permit to be placed, on any floor or roof of a building or other structure a load greater than that for which such floor or roof is approved. This criteria includes, but is not limited to, equipment such as gantry cranes and material hoists. Attachment of these types of equipment requires a structural evaluation of the ability of the building component to support both the equipment and any loads to be lifted.
2.4.3 Floor Load Ratings
Floor load ratings should be posted and visible to all employees and external staff for elevated storage areas, lofts, mezzanines, and platforms.
The signs must be securely affixed, in a conspicuous place, at each area.
The signs must be replaced if they are lost, removed, or defaced.
Microsoft employees and external staff must not undertake activities that could result in exceeding the approved load rating of a floor or roof of a building.
2.4.4 Floor Openings and Holes
Floor openings and holes may be found in a floor, platform, pavement, or yard. They must always be guarded or covered to prevent fall hazards. Protection for floor openings and holes includes the following:
Every stairway must be guarded by a standard railing
Every ladderway, floor opening, or platform must be guarded by a standard railing with standard toe boards on all exposed sides, except for the entrance to the opening.
Every hatchway and chute floor opening must be guarded by one of the following:
Hinged floor opening cover of standard strength and construction equipped with standard railings. When the opening is not in use, the cover must be closed.
A removable railing with toe boards on two sides of the opening and fixed standard railing with toe boards on all other sides.
Every skylight floor opening, and hole must be guarded by a standard skylight screen or a fixed standard railing on all exposed sides.
Every pit and trapdoor floor opening must be guarded by a floor opening cover of standard strength and construction. While the cover is not in place, the opening must be protected on all exposed sides by removable railings.
Every manhole floor opening must be guarded by a standard manhole cover which does not need to be hinged in place. If the manhole cover is not in place, the opening must be guarded by removable railings.
Every temporary floor opening must have standard railings.
Floor holes into which a person can walk accidentally must be guarded by a standard railing or cover.
Floor holes into which a person cannot accidently walk must be protected with a cover that leaves no opening more than 1 inch wide.
Where doors or gates open directly on a stairway, a platform must be provided, and the swing of the door must not reduce the effective width to less than 20 inches.
The guard specifications pertaining to walking and working surfaces must meet federal, state, and local regulations.
2.4.5 Open-Sided Floor Surfaces
Every open-sided floor, including a runway, or platform 4 feet or more above an adjacent floor must be guarded by a standard railing or equivalent guard on all open sides except where there is an entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder. The open-sided floor should also have toe boards on open sides if the following can occur beneath:
2.4.6 Wall Openings and Holes
Every wall opening or hole with a drop of more than 4 feet on one side must be protected by a barrier.
Barriers can include rails, rollers, fences, screens, and half doors.
Wall opening barriers should be constructed and mounted to withstand a load of at least 200 pounds applied in any direction (except upward) at any point.
Screens can be of solid construction, of grillwork with openings no more than 8 inches long, or of slatwork with openings no more than 4 inches wide.
2.4.7 Stairways
Stairways provide access from one structure level to another. Sites must have fixed stairs in place instead of ladders when operations necessitate regular travel between levels to monitor or operate equipment during operations. Sites must install stairs whenever employees must access elevations at least daily or at each shift if:
Work is performed that may expose employees to acids, caustics, gases, or other harmful substances.
Carrying tools or equipment by hand is normally required.
The specifications for stairways must meet federal, state, and local regulations. Consult Appendix C for a summary of OSHAs requirements for Fixed Industrial Stairs (29 CFR 1910.24)
2.5 Worker Protection
Proper work attire and PPE aid in preventing hazards associated with walking and working surfaces.
PPE selection is the responsibility of the employer and is determined by risk assessment. Areas or tasks may be noted where PPE should be used if engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or do not sufficiently protect the employees from hazards. For more information, please reference the Microsoft Personal Protective Equipment Program.
2.5.1 Fall Protection
The OSHA 1926 Subpart M, Fall Protection, requires fall protection systems be used when exposures exceed 6 feet.
Personnel working within 6 feet of an unprotected edge that exceeds a 4-foot drop must always be tied off.
Personnel working on a slanted surface more than 6 feet from an unprotected edge will also need fall protection.
A warning line or control line must be in place to remind personnel that they are approaching an area where fall protection will be required.
Fall protection equipment is to be used according to manufacturer’s instructions.
2.5.2 Audits
The Site Plan must be audited annually and updated as needed to correct identified deficiencies. Plan Administrator must also review any past incidents related to walking and working surfaces that occurred since the previous audit. Managers and supervisors should be consulted about program improvement opportunities and involved in implementation of needed compliance improvements. The Site Plan should be updated as needed to reflect regulatory changes and improvements resulting from the annual audit.
2.6 Training
Training on the topic of walking and working surfaces is available for all employees, as needed. Microsoft OHS has a defined training to meet regulatory requirements for walking and working surfaces. To obtain training, contact Microsoft OHS at Global OHS .
If there is a change in policy, environment, processes, or anything that may significantly change an employee’s exposure to walking or working surface hazards, a notification must be made to affected employees and external staff. The notification must include how the change affects walking and working surfaces and appropriate precautions.
2.7 Incident Investigation
Incident investigations are initiatied upon receiving reports. To foster a culture of health and safety at Microsoft, employees, interns, and external staff are required to report all work-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses via SafetyHub Report. Learn more on the Global OHS reporting page.
