Doc. No.

: L3-019-HSE-02
AZN Procedure
Rev. Date: 25-Dec-2018
Issue No Issue Date Revalidation
Control of Floor Openings
3 28-Jun-2015 24-Dec-2020 Page 2 of 8

Distribution List
Department/Section Recipient Department/Section Recipient
Management GM Stores All staff
Operations All staff Chemistry All staff
H.R. & Administration All staff Electrical All staff
I.T. All staff Mechanical All staff
Finance All staff Instrumentation & Control All staff
Procurement All staff Engineering All staff
H.S.E. All staff Performance All staff
Security All staff
 Doc. No.: L3-019-HSE-02
AZN Procedure
Rev. Date: 25-Dec-2018
Issue No Issue Date Revalidation
Control of Floor Openings
3 28-Jun-2015 24-Dec-2020 Page 3 of 8

Revision Record
Revision
Issue No. Description of Change Effective date
No.
1 0 First issue 28/06/2015
2 1 Routine review 22/03/2018
3 2 Format Change 31/12/2018
 Doc. No.: L3-019-HSE-02
AZN Procedure
Rev. Date: 25-Dec-2018
Issue No Issue Date Revalidation
Control of Floor Openings
3 28-Jun-2015 24-Dec-2020 Page 4 of 8

Contents
1.0 PURPOSE.................................................................................................................. 5
2.0 PRINCIPLE ................................................................................................................ 5
3.0 SCOPE....................................................................................................................... 5
4.0 RESPONSIBILITY ..................................................................................................... 5
5.0 DEFINITIONS/ ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................. 5
6.0 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................... 5
7.0 HSE AND BUSINESS RISK....................................................................................... 5
8.0 PROCEDURE ............................................................................................................ 5
8.1 Flooring .................................................................................................................................. 5
8.2 Inspection ............................................................................................................................. 5
8.3 Permanent Floor Openings................................................................................................... 6
8.4 Temporary Floor Openings................................................................................................... 6
8.5 Temporary Floor Openings Lasting More Than One Working Day .................................... 7
8.6 Barriers .................................................................................................................................. 7
9.0 AUDIT / REVIEWS ..................................................................................................... 7
10.0 ATTACHMENTS ........................................................................................................ 7
CONTROL OF FLOOR OPENING CHECK LIST ......................................................................8
 Doc. No.: L3-019-HSE-02
AZN Procedure
Rev. Date: 25-Dec-2018
Issue No Issue Date Revalidation
Control of Floor Openings
3 28-Jun-2015 24-Dec-2020 Page 5 of 8

1.0 PURPOSE
This procedure defines the requirements for the maintenance of floors and the control of floor
openings at AZN.

2.0 PRINCIPLE
Maintenance of floors, and control of openings in floors, roads and pathways so that risks to persons
are minimised. Handrails or guardrails permanently fitted to prevent access to machinery are not
included. Such rails or fencing must not be removed unless a Permit for Work is held.

3.0 SCOPE
Floor inspections will be carried out on all open mesh floor panels and all other types of floors,
passages and gangways during monthly safety walks. Loose, unsecured or missing sections and
broken, badly fitting or distorted sections must be replaced.

4.0 RESPONSIBILITY
It is the responsibility off all staff and contractors to report promptly any defects or issues associated
with flooring.

The Planning Engineer is responsible for ensuring a routine annual inspection of walkways, fixed
stairways and handrails is carried out.

5.0 DEFINITIONS/ ABBREVIATIONS

Work planner - The person in charge of the work. This may be an engineer, Technical
Officer or anyone else responsible for a task.

6.0 REFERENCES
None

7.0 HSE AND BUSINESS RISK

Several recent incidents in the industry at other locations, where floor openings were not
controlled effectively, have led to fatalities.

8.0 PROCEDURE
8.1 Flooring
Chequer plate and other metal sectional floors must have every section properly
supported and securely fastened to the supports and where necessary to adjacent
sections.
8.2 Inspection
The inspection of all plant flooring, grating and handrails on site is managed via the
site MMI system via Planned Maintenance WOCs.
 Doc. No.: L3-019-HSE-02
AZN Procedure
Rev. Date: 25-Dec-2018
Issue No Issue Date Revalidation
Control of Floor Openings
3 28-Jun-2015 24-Dec-2020 Page 6 of 8

8.3 Permanent Floor Openings

Permanent floor openings must be provided where possible when frequent access is
required. These openings shall be permanently hand railed and toe boarded and shall
not restrict access or weaken overall floor strength. When floor openings are in use
access to floor areas immediately below shall be restricted by barriers and warning
notices. Floor areas immediately below lifting wells shall be identified.

8.4 Temporary Floor Openings

All temporary floor openings must have a Work Order Card (WOC) associated and
authorised by the duty Shift Engineer before commencement.
• The work planner will be responsible for raising the WOC requesting the temporary
floor opening.
• The location must be checked by the work planner such that any section to be
removed will not render an adjacent section unsafe.
• The work planner will be responsible for providing safe erection of barriers,
displaying signs, inspecting barriers and ensuring that WOC records are kept
updated.
• When the barriers used may not necessarily be recognised as safety barriers (e.g.
scaffold barriers), the work planner should ensure that warning signs are in place.
• Adequate and suitable barriers must be erected before floor openings are removed.
• When barriers are impracticable because of the nature of work, the Shift Engineer
and the work planner will risk assess the task and determine the appropriate
precautions to be taken to protect all personnel.
• Access to any walkway underneath the temporary opening must be prevented by
suitable barriers and appropriate signage erected.
• When one or more openings are adjacent or in proximity to each other, each
opening should, where practicable, be treated individually and have an adequate
and suitable barrier erected around it. Additional precautions must be taken (e.g.
temporary covers or use of restraints) if one barrier must be erected to encompass
one or more openings which may lead to persons inside the protected area falling
into a second opening.
• When all these arrangements have been completed permission from the Shift
Engineer may be granted.

Any floor plates and gratings lifted should be refitted at every opportunity during the work,
to minimise exposure to the hazard.

On completion of work, the floor section will be replaced and all bolts and clips refitted
and checked by the work planner to ensure that it is safe before authorising the removal
of the barriers and notices. The temporary barriers and notices must be dismantled and
returned to their correct storage area.

The work planner will then inform the Shift Engineer of the safe replacement of the floor
opening.

Note - Where there is a temporary opening, the adjacent gratings must be clipped
down to ensure that they do not move to avoid creating a potential hazardous opening.
 Doc. No.: L3-019-HSE-02
AZN Procedure
Rev. Date: 25-Dec-2018
Issue No Issue Date Revalidation
Control of Floor Openings
3 28-Jun-2015 24-Dec-2020 Page 7 of 8

8.5 Temporary Floor Openings Lasting More Than One Working Day
In addition to the requirements described in the previous section, if the Temporary Floor
Opening lasts more than one day the Control of Floor Openings Check List should be
used.
The checklist will be initiated and controlled by the work planner with records maintained
in the register. The register will consist of a unique number index (WOC number), an
active section and a completed section.

The work planner will complete Control of Floor Openings Check List and file it in the
active section of the register which will be maintained by the Main Control Room. The
work planner will be responsible for routine inspection of the barriers, notices and the floor
opening for as long as the floor opening exists and will record the inspections on the
Control of Floor Openings Check List kept in the register.

On the completion of the work, the work planner will then inform the Shift Engineer of
the safe replacement of the floor opening, complete part C of the Control of Floor
Openings Check List and file the form in the completed section of the register.

The Control of Floor Openings Check List should be completed at each stage and
signed off by the Shift Engineer.

8.6 Barriers
Barriers must be physically strong enough to restrain persons from falling into the
opening. Hazard warning tape should only be used to indicate the presence of a hazard,
never as a barrier or guard. Barriers must be erected as close as is practicable to the
edge of the opening so that there is no accessible floor area within the barrier. Approved
barriers must be used wherever possible, or a scaffolding barrier may be erected by
Competent Persons.

9.0 AUDIT / REVIEWS

This document will be reviewed every 2 years or as a result of audit findings.

10.0 ATTACHMENTS
AZN/HSE/PROC/019 F1 Control of Floor Openings Check List
 Issue: 1
Form
Ref: AZN/HSE/PROC/019 F1
Date 05/06/2015
Control of floor openings Page Page 8 of 8
Revalidation 05/06/2017
CONTROL OF FLOOR OPENING CHECK LIST
PART A (To be completed by person requesting a floor opening).

Work Order Number: _____________

LOCATION (Unit/ Area/ Level) _________________________________________________

Approximate area of floor to be opened (m 2) ______

Frequency of inspection__________________ (e.g. weekly/ fortnightly/monthly)

Name of Shift Engineer informed __________________ Time _________ Date_______________

Signature of Technical Officer __________________ Name _________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

PART B Inspection record. (To be completed by Technical Officer at a frequency decided with the
Shift Engineer at time of issue of the unique number- see part A).

DATE W.O.C. No/ SAFETY DEFECT SIGNATURE OF

INSPECTED BARRIER CONDITION PROGRESS SUPERVISOR

PART C (To be completed by Technical Officer on reinstating the floor opening).

I have reinstated the floor, cleared the barriers, returned the signs and informed the Shift Engineer.

Signed _________________________ Name ________________________(Technical Officer)

Date_________________ Time_________________ (This form can now be moved to the

completed section of the file)