June is National Safety month. Slips, trips, and falls are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries. These types of accidents can result in head injuries, back injuries, broken bones, sprained muscles, cuts, lacerations, and in some cases even death.
Slips happen when there is too little friction or traction between the footwear and the walking surface. Trips happen when an individual loses their balance due to striking or hitting an object. Falls occur when an individual becomes too far off center of balance whether it be the same level or a lower level. Here are a few key things to consider at a client’s site:
- Housekeeping Issues – It is important that clients maintain proper housekeeping on all walking and working surfaces free of obstacles. Spills, trash/debris on the floor, cords, cables, and open drawers are all areas of concern. Without good housekeeping practices and training it is more likely that there will be an accident.
- Conditions of the floors, stairs, and ladders – Uneven walking surfaces, surfaces with different traction, stairs, and ladders that are in poor condition, or no handrail should be concerning.
- Environmental Conditions – All types of precipitation can cause major slip hazards. No matter how well the areas may have been cleared snow and ice may become an issue in some areas. Also, consider if the client has poor lighting in their facility. If the light in the client’s location is poor, it can make it difficult to see obstacles on walking surfaces and may cause injury.
It is important that clients provide workers with a safe working environment. By implementing safety practices and training, clients can significantly reduce hazards that may cause slips, trips, and falls.
Last Updated on October 4, 2023
