Corroded Walkway and Ladders

BSEE NTL 2024-N03

BSEE (the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement) has just issued NTL 2024-N03: Restricting Access to Unsafe Areas Due to Corrosion. The Notice describes the actions that need to be taken if ‘an area is unsafe due to excessive corrosion’.

BSEE has not defined the word ‘excessive’.

Moreover, the danger at many facilities is that a walkway or ladder may be unsafe due to corrosion, but that corrosion is not visible. Therefore, a worker may access an area that he incorrectly thinks is safe. If the walkway or ladder fails, he could be seriously injured.