Summary

OSHA’s walking-working surfaces and fall protection standards (also known as slips, trips, and falls) for general industry workplaces regulate most areas where employees may work or travel in the workplace. Walking-working surfaces include ladders, wall and floor openings, ramps, stairways, and scaffolds.
Slips may be caused by inconsistencies in walking surfaces, including the presence of substances such as ice, water, oil, loose gravel and worn-out flooring surfaces.
Trips start with a loss of balance and most often end in a fall. People may trip when a surface is uneven, or another object gets in the way of a walking path. Common trip triggers include poor lighting, uneven carpet or flooring, cables or other electrical equipment, stairs and various distractions while walking.
Most often, falls happen because of an unexpected change in conditions – that is surface conditions, environmental conditions or walking conditions.
It is important to practice good housekeeping, quality of walking surfaces (flooring), selection of proper footwear, and appropriate pace of walking as these are critical for preventing fall incidents.