As a business owner, slip, trip, and fall injuries can be a serious threat to you, your employees, and your organization. On top of the physical harm, they can become potential liability issues.
Knowing how to prevent slips, trips, and falls and when to consult a reputable slip and fall lawyer is crucial to taking care of your employees and keeping your business running smoothly.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), fall injuries accounted for 20% of preventable fatal injuries in 2021 (the third-leading cause) and 33% of preventable non-fatal injuries (the number one cause).
The good news is that slip, trip, and fall injuries are 100% preventable.
To minimize them at your workplace, follow these tips:
1. Establish safety standards
The first step to reducing slip, trip, and fall injuries at your business is to make safety a priority. This can mean conducting first aid training, developing safety plans, following OSHA guidelines, teaching situational awareness, preparing for winter weather, etc.
Make sure your staff knows what the guidelines are and follow through on enforcing them. You can include some of the practices listed in the next points.
2. Keep up with regular cleaning
Each worker should be responsible for keeping their work area clean and organized, whether it’s their desk, cubicle, vehicle, etc.
Set cleanliness standards and regularly inspect workspaces to ensure they are kept in good order. Hire a cleaning crew to clean common areas and assign staff responsibilities for keeping them tidy.
3. Reduce wet or slippery surfaces
One of the main reasons people slip and fall at work is slippery surfaces. To prevent this, report and clean up spills immediately after they happen and set up “wet floor” signs to warn staff.
You may also invest in non-slip mats that absorb moisture and anti-skid adhesive tape. Having proper traction on the ground is crucial to preventing employees from slipping accidentally.
4. Remove obstacles in walkways
Another cause for trips in the workplace is obstacles. Clutter in aisles, corridors, entranceways, and stairwells can be dangerous. So keep these areas clear and orderly.
Remove any potential hazards like loose cords and cables, boxes, etc. You may also want to place mats at entrances with edges that could be tripped over.
Conduct regular inspections to detect potential trip hazards and ensure walking areas are kept clear.
5. Maintain proper lighting
Proper lighting is easily overlooked in the workplace, but it’s crucial to ensuring a safe environment. Adequate lighting helps staff see where they’re going so they’re less likely to slip and fall.
As a rule, employees should never work in the dark or dim light. Always illuminate rooms, walkways, staircases, hallways, etc. If a room is dark, it should be lit before walking in.
When needed, repair or replace light fixtures, lightbulbs, and cords. That way, you’re never forced to bumble around in the dark.
6. Encourage proper footwear
Just as important as preventing slippery surfaces is ensuring your staff wear proper footwear. Encourage them to consider the slickness of their shoes’ soles and to wear slip-resistant shoes. Often, heels can be a hazard to be avoided as well.
Adding it all up
At the end of the day, there are many ways you can prevent slips, trips, and falls at your business. By establishing safety standards, keeping up with regular cleaning, reducing wet or slippery surfaces, removing obstacles in walkways, maintaining proper lighting, and encouraging proper footwear, you’ll dramatically lower the risk of a serious injury.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
