No matter your industry, if you have concrete inside or outdoors, you are required to ensure it is safe for working and walking. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established these requirements to protect employers and workers.
If your concrete floors or exterior walkways have seen better days, consider having them repaired before an accident occurs.
ACT Restoration, a concrete restoration company in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, has details about OSHA and its regulations regarding commercial concrete.
What Is OSHA?
OSHA was established in 1971, and its mission is to ensure that American workers have safe and healthful working conditions.
OSHA develops and enforces standards for many aspects of businesses to ensure everyone remains safe. It also provides outreach and education on American worker safety standards.
What Is a Concrete Trip Hazard?
OSHA regulations aim to ensure walking and working areas are free from dangers, including trip hazards.
OSHA's walking-working surfaces rule requires employers to inspect concrete floors and walkways and correct, repair, or guard against hazardous conditions. Slips, trips, and falls are the three most common incidents.
A concrete trip hazard is typically any crack or joint in a concrete floor or walkway with a vertical change of over a quarter of an inch.
Slight elevation changes can be hazardous for people walking through the area. Cracks can result from temperature changes, incorrect flooring installation, or excessive weight.
If you have cracks in your concrete floor or outdoor commercial concrete, they could pose other problems, including structural instability, damage to property, and accessibility issues.
Cracked commercial concrete can also become more expensive to maintain. At that point, you will need professional solutions for your cracked concrete.
How to Repair a Concrete Floor or Walkway Trip Hazard
Cracks and trip hazards in your concrete require certain repairs to be effective.
Patching over a crack or trip hazard is not a great idea, as the patch now becomes a trip hazard because it is not level with the rest of the floor or walkway. Plus, patches can pop off due to temperature changes.
The best option to repair commercial concrete involves hiring a professional concrete restoration company to grind the crack down and repair it so the area is level and safe.
This method is much cheaper than replacing your entire concrete floor or walkway and will result in a smooth, safe surface for working and walking.
Contact ACT to Restore Minnesota Concrete Floors & Walkways
With over a decade of experience in concrete resurfacing, ACT Restoration is the best choice for Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, concrete floor and walkway restoration!
We work with many commercial industries, including warehouses, retail, businesses, and schools. After grinding down your trip hazards, we can polish your concrete floors to make them shine.
Keep your concrete floors, stairs, and walkways safe with expert resurfacing. Check out our portfolio for recently completed projects!
Ready to get started? Give us a call today at 763-432-3966 or request a free estimate online.