Essential Tips for Avoiding Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace
When people think about dangers in the workplace, they often underestimate the impact of slips, trips, and falls. Not only are these accidents a major cause of injuries leading to missed work, but they can also be deadly. According to OSHA, slips trips, and falls are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities, resulting in 15% of all accidental deaths.
Employers need to understand how these types of accidents can impact their workplace and team, as well as how to prevent slips, trips, and falls. Read below for 11 essential tips that will help you protect your employees, preventing slips, trips, and falls in your workplace.
#1 Wear properly fitting footwear
Be sure to use the right shoes for your working environment and particular walking surfaces. Many varieties of slip resistant shoes are available, and an easy way to make shoes less slippery is by scuffing the soles before using them. This can be done by rubbing the soles on concrete or by using a knife to score them. Of course, make sure you’re wearing properly fitting footwear – footwear even slightly the wrong size can, over time, cause discomfort and even injury.
#2 Don’t work in the dark
Make sure adequate lighting is available when you are working. Proper lighting will help you to avoid tripping on objects and other slipping hazards.
#3 Use the right tool for the job
If you need to grab something out of reach, take the time to find a proper step stool or ladder. Many chairs are not designed to withstand the weight of someone standing directly on them, and they could break. Standing on folding chairs can cause them to collapse, and swivel office chair can slide out from underneath you.
#4 Clean spills before they become slipping hazards
Keep work spaces and walking surfaces clean to avoid slipping and tripping hazards. Pick up any fallen objects from the floor, and quickly wipe up spills, preventing slips and trips from occurring.
#5 Clear paths, walking surfaces, and walkways when moving large objects
When you need to move a large object, clear a path on the walking surface beforehand. Shuffling around other objects while carrying a load can result in a fall due to decreased mobility and visibility.
#6 Make surfaces anti-slip
Particularly if your workspaces are outdoors, look at walking surfaces and walkways where you can add anti-slip coatings, paints, and treatments to make these routes safer, especially during the winter. Other options include texturing the concrete, employing nonslip tapes, rubber mats, and gravel and/or sand.
#7 Be vocal and let people know when you’re moving
People in a shared workspace can be a tripping hazard to each other, so it’s important to let others know when you’re moving behind them. When opening doors into spaces, it’s a good practice to give a warning.
Be sure to keep these safety tips in mind the next time you’re moving around your work space. Most importantly, make sure everyone else in your workplace is also aware of these practices and potential hazards. The more people that know how to avoid slips, trips, and falls in a workplace, the safer that workplace will be.
Regardless of industry and budget, occupational health and safety should be a priority for the employer as well as the employees who will directly experience the benefits of its importance. An organization where occupational health and safety are important is a place where people feel safe and valued.
#8 Invest in health and safety
What do you consider your most important asset? Yes, your people and employees who make the magic and great work happen on a daily basis. As an employer, it is your responsibility that your employees go home to their families at the end of the day or shift so investing in occupational health and safety should be a budget priority. The ROI for health and safety is multifold and significant.
#9 Practice good housekeeping habits
You probably understand this by now but it just needs to be stated: management and employees need to practice overall good housekeeping at the workplace. When everyone is on the same page and understands the consequences of not doing so, good housekeeping practices can prevent some serious slips and falls.
#10 Use fall protection
When appropriate and required, proper, approved fall protection must be used when working from heights and even low elevations where serious injury can occur. Fall protection equipment and infrastructure includes guardrails and handrails and harnesses and lifelines.
#11 Use fall detection
Injuries resulting from falls can range from a scraped elbow to a major head injury. If an employee was to fall and injure themselves, fall detection devices and technology could immediately signal an emergency and request help. Fall detection devices could save a worker’s life by getting them help when seconds could make the difference between living or dying.
Prioritize occupational health and safety
Yes, slips, trips, and falls are very common injuries across almost all industries, but they are one part of the occupational health and safety picture. Regardless of industry and budget, occupational health and safety should be a priority for the employer as well as the employees who will directly experience the benefits of its importance. An organization where occupational health and safety are important is a place where people feel safe and valued.
Be sure to keep these safety tips in mind the next time you’re moving around your workspace. Most importantly, make sure everyone else in your workplace is also aware of these practices and potential hazards. The more people that know how to avoid slips, trips, and falls in a workplace, the safer that workplace will be.