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How To Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls On The Job
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Injury statistics show just how common slip, trip, and fall accidents are.
- According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about 265,000 nonfatal injuries from slips, trips, and falls in the U.S. each year that result in one or more days away from work.
- Slips, trips, and falls represent about 17 percent of all nonfatal workplace injuries each year, the highest rate of injury of any single activity regulated by OSHA.
Slip, trip, and fall hazards include the following, among other things:
- Power cords, ropes, and hoses on floors and walkways are a common tripping hazard
- Open-sided floors and platforms are fall hazards
- Clutter in floors, aisles, and other walkways are also common tripping hazards
- Floor and wall holes and openings are both trip and fall hazards
- Open pits, tanks, vats, and ditches, are fall hazards; and
- Wet floors frequently cause slips and falls
Being alert and using common sense are two of the best ways to reduce slip, trip, and fall hazards. Follow these steps to prevent slips, trips, and fall
- Be aware of all of the possible hazards in your work area.
- Pay attention to wear you are going, and keep an eye out for possible slip, trip, and fall hazards.
- Adjust your stride according to the walking surface. If the surface is dry and rough, you can probably walk quickly. But if the surface appears to be slippery, walk more slowly and shorten your steps. On ramps especially, walk slowly and test your traction.
- Make wide turns at corners. If you try to take a sharp corner quickly, you could plant your foot on a slippery surface and cause your feet to slide out from under you.
- Finally, don’t block your vision when carrying objects. Make sure you can always see the floor in front of you, so that you don’t slip or trip. Be especially careful when carrying objects on stairs or ramps.
