You probably don’t need to be concerned about your employees slipping on banana peels or walking over uncovered manholes—thanks to Mario or a Ninja Turtle. However, the kinds of slips and falls that your workers are in danger of are a lot more common and a lot less obvious than a strategically placed banana peel.
Slip and fall injuries are no laughing matter.
OSHA estimates that falls alone account for approximately 202,066 serious injuries and 345 fatalities annually (source). With such a high injury rate associated with slips and falls, it’s evident that training on this topic is necessary for a safe work environment. If your workplace shows any of these 5 signs, it’s time to look into slip and fall prevention training for your employees.
1. The floors are often wet.
When most people picture slipping, wet floors come to mind. That’s because water and other types of moisture can turn many types of floors into extremely slick surfaces. Many workplaces require all employees to wear specific non slip shoes because of this. It’s easy to take those non slip soles for granted when employees never walk on wet floors in street shoes. It’s important to always keep walking surfaces as dry as possible for as much time as possible.
2. There is often debris or clutter on the floors.
Water isn’t the only substance that can create a slippery or otherwise dangerous walking surface. Many kinds of dust and small debris can make dry floors slippery—and it’s even possible to slip on a single sheet of paper. A great way to keep floors hazard-free is by making sure floors are swept regularly and clutter-free.
3. Employees have to fix rugs that were kicked up.
How many of us have tripped over the corner of a rug, accidentally bunched up the rug so that it creates a hump, or kicked it slightly out of place? Those kinds of rugs are dangerous for the workplace because employees can very easily trip over them and fall. Keep the rugs out of the workplace unless they’re secured down with a rubber backing or similar measures of security.
4. There are areas with poor lighting.
Poor lighting in cluttered areas is a danger for slips and falls as well as many other types of hazards. What you can’t see can hurt you. Keeping work areas well lit is an easy way to increase safety for everyone.
5. Stairs or platforms lack railing or guards.
A tumble down the stairs can cause some serious harm. Regardless of how easily cartoon characters seem to recover from it, in real life it doesn’t happen that way. OSHA’s fall protection standards are strict for a reason: these types of injuries and fatalities are the most common. It’s so easy to slip and fall, so make sure you’re keeping your employees safe with railings wherever necessary.
If you’ve noticed any of these things around your workplace, it’s time to review safety training. It is your job to help prevent on-the-job injuries by creating a hazard-free area. If you’re ready to improve your safety environment, talk to one of our Ving professionals today about our convenient slip and fall prevention materials that you can share with your employees!
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