SAFETY HEALTH ENVIRONMENT & QUALITY
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SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS: BUSTED!
WRITTEN BY SHEQ MANAGEMENT
Slips, trips and falls CAN be prevented!
Just follow this advice from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Statistics show that the majority (66 percent) of falls happen on the same level resulting from slips and trips.The remaining 34 percent are falls from a height. Slips happen where there is too little friction or traction between the footwear and the walking surface.
COMMON CAUSES OF SLIPS ARE
• occasional spills;
• weather hazards;
• loose, unanchored rugs or mats; and
• flooring or other walking surfaces that do not have same degree of traction in all areas.
Trips happen when your foot collides with (strikes, hits) an object causing you to lose the balance and, eventually, fall.
COMMON CAUSES OF TRIPPING ARE:
• obstructed view;
• poor lighting;
• clutter in your way;
• wrinkled carpeting;
• uncovered cables;
• bottom drawers not being closed; and
• uneven steps, thresholds, or walking surfaces.
SO, HOW DO YOU PREVENT FALLS DUE TO SLIPS AND TRIPS?
Both slips and trips result from some kind of unintended or unexpected change in the contact between the feet and the ground or walking surface.
This shows that good housekeeping, quality of walking surfaces (flooring), selection of proper footwear, and appropriate pace of walking are critical for preventing fall accidents.
HOUSEKEEPING
Good housekeeping is the first and the most important (fundamental) level of preventing falls due to slips and trips.
It includes:
• cleaning all spills immediately;
• marking spills and wet areas;
• mopping or sweeping debris from floors;
• removing obstacles from walkways and always keeping them free of clutter;
• tacking and taping of mats, rugs and carpets that do not lay flat;
• always closing file cabinet or storage drawers;
• covering cables that cross walkways;
• keeping working areas and walkways well lit; and
• replacing used light bulbs and faulty switches
Without good housekeeping practices, any other preventive measures, such as installation of sophisticated flooring, specialty footwear or training on techniques of walking and safe falling, will never be fully effective.
FLOORING
Changing or modifying walking surfaces is the next level of preventing slip and trips.
Re-coating or replacing floors, installing mats, pressure-sensitive abrasive strips or abrasive-filled paint-on coating and metal or synthetic decking can further improve safety and reduce risk of falling.
However, it is critical to remember that high-tech flooring requires good housekeeping as much as any other flooring.
In addition, resilient, slippery stairs and non-slippery flooring prevents or reduces foot fatigue and contributes to slip prevention measures.
FOOTWEAR
In workplaces where floors may be oily or wet, or where workers spend considerable time outdoors, prevention of fall accidents should focus on selecting proper footwear.
Since there is no footwear with anti-slip properties for every condition, consultation with manufacturers is highly recommended.
Properly fitting footwear increases comfort and prevents fatigue which, in turn, improves safety for the employee.
SLIPS AND TRIPS.
Occasionally Slips and trips can happen on slippery surfaces, due to spills, trailing cables, poor housekeeping and uneven surfaces. Other factors such as poor lighting or poor layout can also increase the risk. Solutions are usually simple and low cost.
IMPORTANCE.
Because slips and trips might not sound like a major problem, but they are the most common cause of injury at work accounting for over a third of all major injuries.
REGULATIONS.
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 places duties on all persons at work, including employees. Everyone must do there bit to create a safe working environment and accident free workplace. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require hazards to be identified and risks to be assessed.
GUIDANCE.
Identify slip and trip risks
Rectify slip and trip risks
Prevent floors from getting wet or contaminated
If a spillage occurs clean it up quickly Prevent people walking on wet floors until they have dried
Route cables away from traffic routes Everyone should look out for trip hazards and move or report them
Wear appropriate footwear
Report unsafe or slippery flooring a slippery stair
Report broken or uneven flooring
Report obstacles
Implement good housekeeping
Stack materials safely
Never store materials or equipment in walkways or escape routes
SHEQ Safety Health Environment and Quality