6.19 Openings: Floors, Walls, Elevator Shafts, and Similar Areas
All openings in floors, walls, elevator shafts, and similar areas are to be protected with a properly designed guard rail and toeboard, or are to be covered in a manner that will prevent falls. Provide railing on all exposed sides, except at entrances to stairways.
Every open-sided floor or platform that is 6 ft. or more above the adjacent floor or ground level must be protected by a properly designed railing, or equivalent, on all open sides except where there is an entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder.
Ladderway floor openings or platforms must be protected with appropriately designed guard rails and standard toeboards on all exposed sides, except at entrances to openings. Passage through the railing is to be provided by a swinging gate, or must be offset so that a person cannot walk directly into the opening.
Runways 4 ft. high or more need standard railings on all open sides.
Floor holes into which persons can accidentally walk are to be protected by either an appropriately designed railing with toeboard on all exposed sides, or an appropriate floor hole cover. While the cover is not in place, the floor hole will be protected by a properly designed railing.
Wall openings through which there is a drop of more than 4 ft., and the bottom of which is less than 3 ft. above the working surface, must be protected. When the height and placement of the opening in relation to the working surface is such that a properly designed rail will effectively reduce the danger of falling, the rail must be provided.
The bottom of a wall opening which is less than 4 ft. above the working surface will be protected by a properly designed toeboard or an enclosing screen.
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