A slip, trip or fall at work can lead to serious injuries – and even death. In fact, in the 12 years between 2003-2015, slips, trips and falls have caused the death of 386 workers in Australia.
Slips, trips and falls can happen in any workplace. They can occur at the entry of a building, in the kitchen, in cool rooms, on loading docks and obviously steps, slopes and uneven surfaces.
Serious slips or trips together with the resulting fall can result in the following injuries:
- sprains or strains
- broken bones when trying to break the fall
- a back injury due to the sudden and forceful impact during a fall
- burns if it occurs near hot surfaces or if the person is handling hot fluids
- cuts if it occurs near sharp objects.
Preventing the Common Slips, Trips and Fall Accidents in the Workplace
1. Ensure that appropriate safety footwear is worn
The footwear employees wear at work can play a big role in reducing their risk of being injured in a slip and fall accident. When selecting the right safety footwear, it is important that it is the appropriate safe shoes for the work environment. For instance, slip-resistant safety boots are recommended in an agricultural work environment, factory or warehouse. Having the right safety footwear that fits properly increases comfort and helps to prevent fatigue, which also improves safety for employees.
2. Make use of Anti-slip equipment
Use anti-slip tape, covers, safety mats, and anti-slip stair nosing to prevent areas of the workplace from becoming slippery and posing a risk to workers, particularly entranceways and stairs.
3. Clean up spills
The products that can spill at a workplace vary widely from industry to industry. If a spill does occur, it needs to be contained or blocked off and reported to the person in charge. If it is a serious contaminant, then spill control procedures need to be followed. It is very important that proper procedures are followed based on what product is spilled. Having a spill control kit readily available to your workplace can help as it allows you to make fast action to prevent damage to your work premises.
4. Ensure the work place is well lit
The risk of accidents from slips, trips, and falls at work increases when there is not enough lighting. This includes all walkways, stairs, hallways, ramps, basements, and dock areas. If it is a construction site, every part must be always well-lit during work hours. In addition to this, bulbs, cords, and light fixtures must also be repaired or replaced immediately when needed.
5. Use Safety Signage
Using clear, well-placed signage can help call attention to potential problem areas. A sign indicating a step, gap, uneven ground, or loose rocks will call attention to the hazard and increase awareness and attentiveness. Using reflective tape can also highlight problem areas.
6. Use Anti-Slip coatings
Slip-resistant flooring creates positive traction to reduce the possibility of falling or slipping. The fundamental advantage of Anti Slip coatings is to improve the surface to reduce instances of slipping or stumbling.
Southland Supply Group
To help reduce the potential hazards that lead to slips, trips, and falls, Southland offers a wide range of site safety supplies that helps employers proactively manage the workplace environment to help lower the risk of injury to employees and customers. View our range of site safety and environmental product range today. You may also reach us at 1800 77 22 91 or webstore@southland.com.au