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Slips, Trips and Falls Happen

Posted in: Accident Prevention,Safety | Posted by Rebecca Ingram on April 3, 2018

Slips, trips and falls happen— at home and at work. They account for 15-20% of all work-related accidents and are the leading cause of ‘time-loss’ injuries in Canada.  

Slips, trips and falls happen. They happen on construction sites, in offices, at schools, on oil rigs, in kitchens, at hospitals and on farms. They happen at heights and on the ground, in parking lots and on stairs, when you’re looking and especially when you’re not.  

Slips, trips and falls happen. And they are costly, not just in the direct costs of treating the resultant injury but also in the indirect costs like lost time, lost productivity, lost earnings and increased WCB premiums.

What are slips and trips?

Slips happen when there is too little friction or traction between the foot (or footwear) and the contact surface.

Common causes of slips are :

  • Wet or oily work areas
  • Accidental spills
  • Weather conditions – ice, snow and rain
  • Loose or unanchored mats
  • Cluttered walkways
  • Uneven walking surfaces
  • Recently waxed floors

Trips happen when a moving foot collides with an object causing an abrupt stop and loss of balance.

Common causes of trips are:

  • Impaired or obstructed visibility
  • Poor or lack of lighting
  • Cluttered pathways
  • Wrinkled mats and runners
  • Unsecured or exposed cables, wires and hoses
  • Uneven walking surfaces

Although many slips and trips result in falls causing harm, just attempting to prevent a fall, following a trip or a slip, can result in significant strain or sprain type injury.

How can slips, trips and falls be prevented?

Here are some simple preventative steps that every organization should put into practice every day:

  • Marking spills and slippery surface areas
  • Cleaning up spills immediately  
  • Ensuring all flooring is in good condition
  • Keeping pathways and walkways free of clutter
  • Closing filing cabinet and storage drawers and doors after use
  • Covering cables, wires and hoses that cross pathways
  • Securing area rugs, mats and runners
  • Providing proper lighting in work areas and walkways
  • Replacing burnt out bulbs and faulty light switches
  • Setting up ladders and scaffolding securely
  • Regular safety meetings to address potential hazards and ‘near misses’

And some safety precautions every worker can take individually:

  • Paying attention to your surroundings and where you are going
  • Adjusting your speed to suit the surface conditions and task you are doing
  • Making wide turns around corners
  • Taking extra care and time if your line of sight is partially obstructed
  • Using proper fall preventions safety equipment when required
  • Wearing appropriate and properly fitting footwear
  • Reporting and investigating all slips, trips falls and ‘near miss’ incidents

Slips, trips and falls happen but the risks associated with them can be minimized or eliminated through ongoing safe work practices and resisting complacency. It is when we stop paying attention and let our guard down that we put ourselves and those around us most at risk.

Further information on how to identify hazards and prevent slips, trips and falls can be found here and here and a more detailed information can be found in the Energy Safety Canada Get a Grip program. You can contact us directly, during business hours, using our chat feature, by phone at 1-844-377-9545, or you can reach us by email at [email protected], [email protected], and you can always connect with us on Facebook ,Twitter , or LinkedIn.

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