What’s one of the leading causes of workplace injury? Same-level falls. That’s right, your garden-variety slips, trips and falls cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year. But preventing falling in your workplace can be simple.

First and foremost, encourage your employees to be alert and use common sense. Carelessness is a major and very preventable reason for many falls. Wiping their feet when coming in out of the rain, keeping one hand on a handrail when using stairs, carrying only as many boxes as they can see over, slowing down before turning a corner – these are all precautions your employees already know to take!

Regularly walk through your workplace, looking for potential fall hazards. Look for:

  • Uneven flooring, including missing tiles or worn, torn or wrinkled carpeting
  • Slippery hard flooring surfaces, especially around exterior doors
  • Spills or accumulation of wet or greasy substances on floors
  • Interior or cabinet doors that open into a passageway, especially ones without windows
  • Misplaced material or trash in a walkway
  • Items like trash cans, plants or file cabinets in inconvenient places or around blind corners
  • Cords or cables lying on the floor
  • Insufficient or faulty lighting
  • Faulty or missing handrails along inclines or steps

If you find a fall hazard, repair it right away. And encourage employees to immediately fix or report any new fall hazards that may appear.

 


Encourage your employees to wear shoes appropriate for your workplace. Softer-soled shoes offer better friction with any floor surface, making slipping less likely. And remind employees in industrial or manufacturing environments to keep their shoes clean, which provides better traction.

Be prepared in case of a fall (or any other medical emergency). Ensure employees know where first-aid supplies are located, and that they should call management for a minor incident or 911 for help right away in an emergency.

As the workforce ages, employers may need to keep a closer eye on preventing falls, since older people are more likely to fall, and more likely to sustain an injury as a result of a fall. To address this problem, organizations such as the University of Pittsburgh’s Human Movement and Balance Laboratory are studying the how and why of slips and trips, and also determining if older Americans can be taught how to remain upright when a slip or trip occurs.

Even so, preventing falling injuries in the workplace remains primarily a small-business owner’s responsibility. Check out OSHA’s easy-to-read Small Business Handbook for more suggestions for a safe work environment; or, visit OSHA’s website for fall-prevention standards for several industries. Please contact your Risk Management & Safety Specialist for assistance with evaluating and controlling fall hazards in your workplace. And don’t forget – TotalSource University offers courses on accident and injury prevention that can help your organization minimize the impact of workplace injuries.