Incorporating Fall Protection as the Weather gets Colder
Table of Contents
Incorporating Fall Protection as the Weather gets Colder
How to protect your team from slips, trips, and falls
Promote safe behavior
Invest in safety and fall protection
PPET and fall detection
Provide a safety-hazard reporting channel
Be aware
As the days get shorter and colder in the winter months, the chances of fall and trip accidents causing injury – or worse – become more likely.
Slips, trips, and falls are kind of a constant workplace hazard regardless of your workplace location, however, with cold and wet conditions impacting most of North America during fall and winter, these types of hazards and accidents become more frequent and severe. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says the 2009 incidence rate of lost-workday injuries from slips, trips, and falls was approximately 40 workers per 10,000 employees, which was 90% greater than the average rate for all other private industries combined. Additionally, ice, sleet, and snow-related occupational injuries and illnesses that resulted in at least one day away from work occurred at a rate of 1.8 cases per 10,000 full-time workers in 2017. On top of all that, it was reported at this year’s 2021 NSC Safety Congress & Expo that, for the 11th consecutive year, fall protection continues to be the most frequently cited safety violation in US workplaces.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, some of the most common causes include:
spills
ice
snow
rain
loose mats, rugs, and stepladders
darkness
In addition, “poor lighting and clutter can cause injuries such as sprains, strains, bruises, bumps, fractures, scratches, and cuts.”
There are a number of industries more prone to slips, trips, and falls but as we said, anyone can experience these types of injuries, particularly in autumn and winter.
How to protect your team from slips, trips, and falls
So with so much potential for slips, trips, and falls, in a range of circumstances, what can employers do to protect their employees? Thankfully, there are a number of fairly easy safety steps that can be taken to create fall protection and mitigate these common workplace safety hazards.
Promote safe behavior
First of all, for a safety hazard so broad in a situation, practicing the safety protocols you preach will be incredibly effective in reducing fall injuries and bolster fall protection This means that you always address safety issues transparently (even with the rest of the team present such as meetings), demonstrating that safety must be a normal discussion where you will not be reprimanded if/when you raise safety-related concerns and report issues.
In other words, you want to create and maintain a work environment, both physical and online, where everyone feels comfortable enough to raise issues and speak up when they have safety concerns. Not only are employees happier, but are also safer as they are all on the same page (company protocols, policies, training, etc.) and are much more aware of any existing or potential safety hazards. The safety hazards they spot will be reported, resulting in multiple benefits for the employee, employer, the public, and even the environment.
For example, an unassuming leaking chemical container at a water treatment plant, when reported and addressed, would, of course, protect the employees from harmful exposure to toxic substances, but it would protect the company from litigation as well as the land from environmental damage. However, if it was a work environment where he/she did not feel they could report such an issue without repercussions or negative consequences, it probably would not be reported.
With regards to fall safety, employees should feel comfortable notifying management of serious issues like unstable surfaces or structural instability, as well as safety hazards like cords or objects blocking/obstructing walkways which could be almost be equally be as dangerous. This could mean an act as simple as reporting slippery leaves at the office entrance or requesting “slippery floor” signs for heavy traffic areas.
Invest in safety and fall protection
With so much at stake and potentially so many lives that can be impacted, it is of course both wise and ethical to invest in occupational safety, whatever that looks like in your particular profession and industry. When we say “invest in safety,” we are strongly recommending that employers go above and beyond the legal requirements and legislation in their country and jurisdiction, that they address the unique fall and other safety hazards that their employees face.
What does this investment look like? Well, most commonly, it could be purchasing PPE like headlamps or more advanced face masks. It could also be quality footwear to prevent foot injuries or dangerous slips and falls while out on the job. With temperatures lowering, the wind and other elements are a concern so proper, warm footwear is a must - if they want to stay on their two feet.
In broader areas, safety investment is the installation of new handrails and other walking support or it could be better lighting for a high-traffic walkway. Look at what you, as an employer, must legally do to protect your staff and then look at what specific safety needs they might have that legislation does not address, taking care of those as well.
PPET and fall detection
When you add “technology” to the PPE category, you guessed it, you get PPET – personal protective equipment and technology. As you have probably seen or read, occupational safety technology now includes advancements in wearables, predictive safety innovations, and motion-sensor fall detection, which will send immediate help in an emergency.
Especially for those working alone and remotely, fall detection devices are very valuable as they will get immediate help when there is nobody to do so and the worker is unconscious. Utilizing existing motion sensors in common devices like smartphones, fall detection devices, and safety apps can also provide other life-saving features such as shake-for-emergency and panic buttons.
Provide a safety-hazard reporting channel
As we emphasized earlier, it is imperative to allow employees to report safety hazards – serious or not – without repercussions. Ideally, such issues would be brought up transparently and openly during meetings or training sessions. However, not everyone is comfortable with that so some sort of dedicated channel should be provided for safety hazard reporting. This can include a designated email address where they can email their concerns, an internal form that can be filled out, and/or online staff “safety discussion” forums - look at how the team best communicates.
Be aware
The fact that you’re reading this article already satisfies the simple but important step of being aware of any fall hazards at your workplace – or you’re at least looking to identify any safety hazards your team or yourself and coworkers are facing. While they are not often deadly, slips, trips, and falls can have a major impact on both professional and personal lives, saying a lot by listing as the most frequently cited safety violation in the United States for more than a decade.
By proactively addressing the fall risk now, you can significantly decrease the likelihood of any happening in the coming months. In most cases, when a worker falls, there are others in the immediate area to help. But when you are a lone and remote worker, nobody is there except for yourself and technology to help you.