Slips, Trips, and Falls

1. Slips, Trips, and Falls

2. Learning Objectives • Objectives: • Recognize the major causative factors for slips, trips, and falls • Be familiar with strategies implemented in the workplace to reduce the possibility of these accidents

3. Agenda • Agenda: • Definitions and causes • Preventive measures • Your responsibilities

4. Section 1 Definitions and Causes

5. What is a Slip? • Occurs when there is too little friction between a person’s feet or shoes and the walking surface: • Pedestrian on icy sidewalk • Hotel guest on newly waxed tile floor • Maintenance mechanic on shop floor • Busboy on wet kitchen floor • Delivery person descending a flight of stairs • Construction worker on a sloped roof

6. Causes of Slips • Common causes of slips: • Spills and splashes of liquids and solids • Unsuitable footwear • Loose mats on polished floors • Inclement weather • Change from a wet to a dry surface • Unsuitable floor surface • Dusty floors • Sloping surfaces

7. What is a Trip? • Occurs when a person’s foot contacts an object and they are thrown off balance: • Electrician tripping on electrical wires • Roofer tripping over the air-gun hose • Waiter tripping on an uneven floor mat • Construction worker tripping on debris pile

8. Causes of Trips • Common causes: • Loose or worn flooring or covering • Holes and cracks in the floor • Uneven outdoor surfaces • Changes in surface level • Cables and cords • Carrying heavy or large objects • Other obstructions

9. What Causes a Fall? • Two basic types of falls: • Same-level falls: High frequency – low severity • Elevated falls: Lower frequency – high severity

10. The Costs of Slips, Trips, and Falls • Over one million workers annually: • Thousands of injuries are fatal • Back is frequently injured • Wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles, knees, and hips are also frequently injured

11. Section 2 Preventive Measures

12. Preventing Slips • Approach to remove factors that cause slips: • Ensuring proper amount of traction • Providing signs to alert workers • Using floor mats • Improving visibility

13. Preventing Slips • Work practices and housekeeping: • Prompt response to spills • Using barricades • Arrange alternative traffic patterns around wet floors • Wear proper footwear

14. Preventing Trips • Prevention of trips can be reduced by: • Position equipment to avoid across walking paths • Use cable covers • Prevent mats and rugs from curling • Improved lighting

15. Preventing Trips • Housekeeping is a critical element: • Designate travel routes • Keep them free of obstacles • Cordless tools eliminate trip hazards

16. Preventing Falls • Falls occur from: • Ladders • Scaffolds • Elevated work platforms

17. Your Responsibilities • Section 3

18. Workplace Factors • Workplace injury is minimized by: • Proper design and construction • Signage • Housekeeping

19. Carrying Materials • Carrying materials increases risks: • Affects balance • Distracts attention • Obstructs vision • Plan: • Route before carrying materials • Walk route without materials • Use “buddy system”

20. Your Responsibilities • Your responsibilities: • Identify hazards • Maintain hazard free workplace • Select proper footwear • Use appropriate ladders, scaffolds, and work platforms • Follow fall protection requirements • Do not obstruct field of vision

21. Additional Information • Preventing Injuries from Slips, Trips, and Falls. Circular 869 of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. 2001 • Stairways and Ladders: A Guide to OSHA Rules OSHA Publication 3124, (2003)