Construction Safety - Floor Openings Unprotected holes in the floor, deck or roof have been responsible for a number of very serious injuries. Yet, through planning and personal attention, falls through openings under foot are easy to prevent. If you make a hole, guard it. Before cutting the hole, barricade the work area to keep people out. If the hole must be open, install permanent barricades around the perimeter. Like railings around the edge of a building or stairwell, these should be a minimum of forty-two inches high, have a mid-rail and be capable of withstanding a 200-pound load. Toe boards are...

Floor Openings Floor openings on a job site can occur during construction, renovations or repairs. There may be floor openings as each new floor in a building is added, for personnel and material access, and for stairwells, elevators or skylights. Floor openings are hazardous because workers may fall through them and/or may be struck by objects that fall through openings. Workers should know about floor openings, guarding, and covers, and understand and use the fall protection appropriate to their worksites and job duties. One of the first ways to protect against floor opening hazards is to build floors or place temporary flooring...