Getting slipped, tripped, or falling is a common experience for many workers and can lead to serious injuries. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 25 percent of reported injury cases in recent years were caused by slips, trips, and falls. While many of these accidents seem unavoidable, there are several things you can do to prevent them from happening.
Business owners can take several steps to prevent workplace slips, trips, and falls. Many employees take a day off to rest and heal after experiencing an injury from a slip, trip, or fall. This can lead to lost productivity and increased costs for the business.
What Steps Should Be Taken To Stop Employee Falls, Slips, And Trips?
Company owners and managers should take the following steps to stop employee injuries from falls, trips, and slips:
- Check the area thoroughly:
Conduct a thorough assessment of your workplace to identify potential hazards. Include all indoor and outdoor areas in your assessment. Be sure to look for wet or oily surfaces, loose carpeting or rugs, electrical cords, cluttered work areas, and slippery flooring. Housekeeping and maintenance are an integral part of safety in the workplace and should be addressed as part of your assessment. Cleaning should be a regular thing, not something done before inspection or after an accident. To maintain this: assign someone or a team to be responsible for cleaning, establish a regular cleaning schedule, conduct daily and weekly inspections, and document all findings.
- Prevent the tiles from getting wet:
Floors should be kept clean and dry at all times. Any spills should be cleaned up immediately using the proper cleaning supplies. Cleaners should mop floors with cleansers designed for the type of flooring you have in your workplace.
Using a ‘wet floor’ sign can also help prevent accidents.
- Avoid objects that could trip
Keep floors clear of obstacles that can cause employees to trip and fall. Common obstacles include electrical cords, loose carpeting or rugs, and clutter. Be sure to properly secure or remove any potential hazards from your workplace.
Hallways, service areas, storerooms, and stairways should be free from boxes, tools, and other materials that can cause employees to trip. Any obstacles in these areas should be properly marked or moved to a safe location. Avoid placing briefcases, files, boxes, etc., in hallways, keep file cabinets and desks away from high-traffic areas, and place wastebaskets strategically. Close all doors and drawers when not in use.
- Use appropriate lighting
Poor lighting is one of the most common causes of slips, trips, and falls. Keep all work areas well-lit, including hallways, stairways, and employee workstations. Lightbulbs should be replaced, and windows should be cleaned to allow natural light in. If possible, install task lighting at employee workstations. It’sReminding employees to always turn on the lights first when they enter a room and report any burned-out bulbs so they can be replaced.
- Testing floors using a Pendulum Tester
A slip risk assessment can be performed using Pendulum Slip Testing. The test can help identify slippery surfaces and thus reduce the risk of slipping
Make sure all employees are properly trained on safe work practices, including how to prevent slips, trips, and falls. Be sure to also educate employees on the proper way to report any potential hazards that they may come across. Training should be conducted regularly, and records should be kept of who has been trained and when.
