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Workplace Structural Integrity

WAC 296-800-270

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Summary

Your Responsibility:

To make sure that the buildings, floors, and other structures in your workplace are safe, well-built, and not overloaded

You must:

Not overload floors or roofs

WAC 296-800-27005

Make sure that floors are safe

WAC 296-800-27010

Make sure floors can support equipment that moves or has motion

WAC 296-800-27015

Post approved load limits (weight limits) for floors

WAC 296-800-27020

 

Note

Note:

The introduction has important information about fire, building and electrical codes that may apply to you in addition to WISHA rules.  See “How do the WISHA rules relate to fire, building and electrical codes” in the Introduction Section of this book.

Rules

WAC 296-800-27005

Do not overload floors or roofs

You must:

  • Prohibit overloading roofs and floors of any building or other structure with more weight than is approved by the building official.

WAC 296-800-27010

Make sure that floors are safe

You must:

  • Make sure that floors including their parts and structural members are safe.
  • Make sure floors are of substantial construction and kept in good repair. This includes floors of:
    • - Buildings
    • - Platforms
    • - Walks and driveways
    • - Storage yards
    • - Docks.
  • Make sure that structures are designed, constructed, and maintained to provide a safety factor of 4 times the imposed maximum strain.
    • - If you notice bowing, cracking, or other indications of excessive strain on a structure, you must take action to make sure it is safe.

Note

Note:

This rule applies to all buildings or those that have had complete or major changes or repairs built after 5/7/74.
 

WAC 296-800-27015

Make sure floors can support equipment that moves or has motion

You must:

  • Make sure flooring of buildings, ramps, docks, trestles and other fixed structures that supports equipment that moves or has motion such as vibration, must not be less than two and one-half inch material.

Note

Note:

Where flooring is covered by steel floor plates, 2-inch material may be used.

 

WAC 296-800-27020

Post approved load limits (weight limits) for floors

You must:

  • Post approved load limits (weight limits) for floors used for mercantile, business, industrial or storage purposes in an obvious place.
  • As the owner, or owner's agent, of a building (or other part of a workplace) post the load approved by the building official by:
    • - Supplying and affixing a durable metal sign that is marked with the approved load.
    • - Placing the metal sign in an obvious spot in the space to which it applies.
    • - Replacing the metal sign if it is lost, defaced, damaged, or removed.

Note

Note:

This rule applies to the floor that supports shelving, but not to the shelves themselves.