Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

2.6 (1) Where an employee has access to an open-top bin, hopper, vat, pit or other open-top enclosure from a point directly above the enclosure, the enclosure shall be

• (a) covered with a grating, screen or other covering that will prevent the employee from falling into the enclosure; or

• (b) provided with a walkway that is not less than 500 mm wide and is fitted with highly visible guardrails.

(2) The grating, screen, covering or walkway shall be designed, constructed and maintained so that it will support a load that is not less than the greater of

• (a) the maximum load that may be brought to bear on it, and

• (b) a live load of 6 kPa.

(3) Where an employee is working above an open-top bin, hopper, vat, pit or other open-top enclosure that is not covered with a grating, screen or other covering, the inside wall of the enclosure shall be fitted with a fixed ladder, except where the operations carried on in the enclosure make such a fitting impracticable.

(4) Every enclosure referred to in subsection (1) whose walls extend less than 1.1 m above an adjacent floor or platform used by employees shall be

• (a) covered with a grating, screen or other covering;

• (b) fitted with a highly visible guardrail; or

• (c) guarded by a person in order to prevent employees from falling into the enclosure.