TOSHA Highlights Parking Lot Risks to Workers
The Tennessee agency urges employers to inspect parking areas and address lighting, pavement and vehicle hazards.
- By Chelsey Arries
- Nov 05, 2026
Workplace safety efforts should extend into parking lots, where moving vehicles, slippery surfaces and obstructed views can threaten employees before they enter a building, according to guidance from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
TOSHA recommends routine inspections and prompt repairs to address potholes, uneven pavement, accumulated water and inadequate lighting. Ice and fallen leaves also warrant attention as conditions change.
The agency notes that the shift away from daylight saving time can leave employees navigating parking areas in greater darkness. Disrupted sleep schedules may also contribute to fatigue that affects attention and reaction speed.
Employers should check lighting around entrances, sidewalks and crossings, refresh pedestrian markings and remove vegetation or other obstacles that block sightlines, TOSHA advises.
The guidance also calls for employers to identify locations where delivery trucks, forklifts or other mobile equipment operate near pedestrians. Employers should separate vehicle and pedestrian routes where practical through barriers, designated paths or traffic changes.
TOSHA recommends setting and enforcing appropriate speed limits and directing drivers to watch for pedestrians while reversing or turning. The agency also urges employers to remind workers to follow marked walking routes, put away phones and establish eye contact with drivers before crossing.
About the Author
Chelsey Arries is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.