Why this matters
Today's topic is Condensate, Wet Floors & Slip Hazards. Focus on slips and electrical exposure from water, then walk the crew through the actual setup, work area and stop-work conditions. Same-level falls often start with ordinary conditions the crew has stopped noticing: cords, debris, uneven transitions, wet surfaces, poor lighting, materials in aisles, or a route that changed during the shift. The useful question is not whether people should “watch their step.” It is what can be removed, rerouted, covered, dried, marked or repaired before someone trips or slips.
A scenario to discuss
During Condensate, Wet Floors & Slip Hazards, the walking route was acceptable at the start of shift, then cords, floor protection, debris, water or delivered material changed it. Workers have started stepping around the condition. What should be removed, rerouted, dried, secured or closed instead of simply warning everyone to be careful?
Before work starts
- Walk the normal route from the worker’s point of view and mark every wet, uneven, obstructed or temporary condition.
- Remove or reroute cords, hoses, debris and stored material wherever possible instead of simply warning people about them.
- Secure floor protection, covers and transitions so edges cannot curl, shift or create a new trip point as traffic passes.
- Control condensate discharge and clean wet floors promptly.
- Mark or barricade slick areas until they are dry.
Common failure points
- Leaving a known trip/slip condition in place and relying on workers to remember it.
- Letting cords, hoses, floor protection or material creep back into an aisle after the initial cleanup.
- Cleaning one area without checking where water, debris or traffic is being redirected.
Safe work sequence / controls
- Control condensate discharge and clean wet floors promptly.
- Mark or barricade slick areas until they are dry.
- Keep electrical cords and tools out of drainage paths.
- Repair temporary hoses or drain setups that repeatedly create standing water.
- When the planned control for slips and electrical exposure from water is not in place or stops working, stop the task and correct it before the crew continues.
Stop and reset the plan if...
- The normal walking route is blocked, wet, uneven, poorly lit or changed enough that workers are stepping over or around an uncontrolled hazard.
- A temporary cover, transition, cord/hose route or stored material creates a trip edge that cannot be corrected or clearly controlled.
- Cleanup, drainage or housekeeping cannot keep pace with the work and the route is no longer reliably safe.
Questions worth asking the crew
- What is in the actual walking route today that could catch a boot, roll, shift, become slippery, or force someone to step around it?
- Which condition can we eliminate right now instead of relying on signs, cones, or people remembering to avoid it?
- Where do cords, hoses, thresholds, floor protection, debris, water or stored material cross the route, and how are we controlling each crossing?
- Who owns housekeeping for this area as the work changes, and what condition means the route gets closed until it is corrected?
- Which slip/trip condition on this site keeps coming back after cleanup, and what physical change would keep it from returning?
Make it real on the job
Walk the route with the crew and physically remove, reroute, secure, dry or mark the conditions discussed before releasing the path.
Close the talk
Before the crew starts, everyone should be able to explain the hazard, point to the control being used today, and name the condition that would make the work stop.
Related authoritative reference
29 CFR 1926.95 - Criteria for Personal Protective Equipment · Open reference ↗
This is a practical discussion guide, not a substitute for required training, a competent person, permits, manufacturer instructions, employer procedures, or applicable federal/state/local requirements. Adapt it to the actual task and conditions.
