CCOHS: Got a question? Get the answer

CCOHS: OSH Answers Fact Sheets

Error

CCOHS: Programs

CCOHS: Internal Responsibility System

CCOHS: Hazards

CCOHS: Publications

CCOHS: Health

CCOHS: Aging Workers

CCOHS: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

Do not link to an anchor on the page that does not exist. For example:
linking to `#content` without a valid destination such as `<body id="content"></body>`.

A common web design pattern is to use a named anchor to show an element via JavaScript, e.g.

```html
<a href="#foo" onclick="$('.bar').toggle();">Click me</a>
<div class="bar">
    This is some content.
</div>
``` 

In these cases, the anchor (`#foo`) should point to the `id` of the hidden element:

```html
<a href="#foo" onclick="$('#foo').toggle();">Click me</a>
<div id="foo">
    This is some content.
</div>
```

This way the semantic intent of the link is preserved, even without JavaScript. 
Note that doing so may require modification to your script, to prevent automatic 
scrolling to the named anchor.

linking-to-anchor-on-page-that-does-not-exist

June 2025

May 2025

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

Title / URL	Issues
CCOHS: Got a question? Get the answerwww.ccohs.ca/safetyinfoline.html	9
CCOHS: OSH Answers Fact Sheetswww.ccohs.ca/oshanswers	8
Errorwww.ccohs.ca/invented-url-for-404-page	8
CCOHS: Programswww.ccohs.ca/topics/programs	8
CCOHS: Internal Responsibility Systemwww.ccohs.ca/topics/legislation/irs	8
CCOHS: Hazardswww.ccohs.ca/topics/hazards	8
CCOHS: Publicationswww.ccohs.ca/products/publications	8
CCOHS: Healthwww.ccohs.ca/topics/hazards/health	8
CCOHS: Aging Workerswww.ccohs.ca/topics/workers/aging	8
CCOHS: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safetywww.ccohs.ca/help	8

Avoid linking to anchors that do not exist

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

Where this issue has occurred