Start with a route and a purpose
Choose a manageable journey from an entrance to a regularly used work area, then onward to the relevant exit route. Include the places where people turn, carry items, change floor levels or meet vehicles. Explain to the team that the round is intended to improve conditions, not catch someone making a mistake. Workers can often describe a recurring obstruction that disappears before a scheduled inspection.
Walk only where you are authorized and protected to do so. Do not enter a vehicle operating area, open an unfamiliar door or step into a restricted space simply to complete a checklist. Ask the responsible person how the route is intended to work and what arrangements apply during deliveries, cleaning or maintenance. Where an immediate danger is apparent, use the established reporting and protective arrangements first.
Look at surfaces in their working condition
Observe uneven surfaces, loose coverings, damaged stair edges, trailing leads and changes in traction. Consider what happens when rain reaches an entrance or a cleaning process leaves moisture behind. A warning sign can draw attention to a temporary problem, but it does not remove the source or necessarily prevent exposure. Record where the condition begins, who uses the route and when it is most likely to occur.
Do not test a suspected slippery surface by deliberately sliding a foot across it. Keep a safe distance, describe what you can see and arrange appropriate review. Ask whether leaks, drainage, cleaning methods or unsuitable materials are involved. The useful action may be repair or a changed work process rather than another reminder to “be careful.” Any technical slip-resistance assessment belongs with appropriately competent people.
Check the space people actually need
Look for temporary narrowing caused by returns, open drawers, waste, staged deliveries or equipment waiting for collection. Consider workers carrying loads, people using mobility aids and visitors unfamiliar with the layout. Do not invent a universal clearance dimension: required widths depend on the route, occupancy, applicable rules and intended use. Ask for the relevant site standard or competent assessment when dimensions matter.
Where pedestrians and vehicles interact, observe from an approved safe position. Note crossing points, visibility around corners, doors opening into traffic and changes during peak activity. A painted line alone may not be an adequate control. The suitability of segregation, barriers, traffic rules and vehicle movements needs a site-specific review. Never direct traffic or change a route without the authority and planning that the workplace requires.
Keep exit access distinct from ordinary storage
Identify the escape routes established for the premises and check for visible obstruction or unauthorized use as storage. Report concerns about exit doors, signs or lighting through the designated process. Do not operate alarm equipment, defeat a locking arrangement or conduct an evacuation test informally. Those activities need authorization and may have consequences for other occupants and emergency responders.
In the United States, OSHA’s walking-working surfaces and exit-route provisions are useful starting references; in Great Britain, HSE guidance explains common slip and trip controls. These are not interchangeable legal systems. The applicable duties, technical requirements and responsible authority depend on where your workplace operates. Use this round to identify questions for the right person, not to declare that an exit arrangement meets a code.
Write an action that can be checked
Replace “clear corridor” with a record that identifies the corridor, the material, the exposure and the responsible role. Discuss why the material is there: the collection point may be too small, the schedule may not match demand or a delivery process may have changed. A lasting solution addresses that cause while keeping necessary access available during the change.
- Observation
- Empty delivery totes narrow the route beside the packing benches after collections.
- Action / owner
- Operations lead to arrange an approved holding location and confirm how totes will be collected.
- Verification
- Review the route during a representative busy period and speak to the people using it.
Close the item only when the action is in place and its effectiveness has been checked. A photograph can show one moment, but it does not establish what happens throughout a shift. If the condition returns, reopen the observation and reconsider the process. Record any areas not visited and explain who will arrange a further review.
References for the next question
- OSHA: Walking-Working Surfaces — U.S. regulatory context and resources.
- OSHA: Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool — exit routes and emergency arrangements.
- HSE: Slips and trips — causes, prevention and practical guidance.
- HSE: Workplace transport safety — vehicle and pedestrian risk management.