Avoiding Falls, Trips, and Slips in the Workplace

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), slips, trips, and falls inflict 700 fatal injuries and many more accidents in the workplace each year. While mishaps can occur in any setting, managers can avoid these workplace accidents by taking the necessary measures, detecting dangers, and training their personnel. Here are some workplace safety tips to help you avoid slips, trips, and falls:

Make Walkways and Work Areas Free of Obstructions

The best way to avoid slips, trips, and falls in the workplace is to make sure everyone on your team cleans up the places where they walk and work. Maintain a clutter-free workplace by encouraging staff to “clean as they go” and reminding them not to obstruct heavily used areas with garbage, cables, or equipment.

Preparing for Bad Weather Conditions

Weather can lead to a higher risk of workplace accidents, such as slips and falls, because water and ice can make paths slippery. Check to see if your business, firm, or building has measures in place to cope with bad weather in a safe manner.

• In winter conditions, make sure to spread salt, especially in high-traffic areas such as the entry and parking areas.
• In rainy and snowy circumstances, lay mats at the door and consider installing fans to prevent slick patches at the entry.

Most of us are aware that items like salt and doormats may help prevent slip, trip, and fall dangers, but not every company has someone whose job it is to ensure that these measures are followed. Assigning these activities to a single individual will guarantee that these tasks are completed when conditions are less risky.

Require Workers to Wear Appropriate Shoes

Adequate footwear may go far toward keeping employees safe in the workplace. Ensure your staff understands what kind of shoes are appropriate for your workplace. In general, shoes with soft rubber soles are preferable for reducing the risk of workplace falls. Encourage employees to wipe their shoes on a rug when coming in from wet, rainy, or snowy circumstances and keep their shoes clean to regain traction.

Recognize hazards and utilize warning signages to alert employees

Trip risks exist in any environment, no matter how skillfully or properly it has been built. Identifying trip risks and putting up prominent signages can assist in reducing the likelihood of slip, trip, and fall occurrences near metal stairs and ramp landings.

Curbs and paths with variations in height are two major workplace trip risks. Employers should educate workers to observe warnings when going past a danger by bright paint on the curb or signs that specify elevation changes.

Fall protection is everyone’s business in the workplace setting, and everyone needs to do their share to maintain the safety of the workplace environment.