FACTS
- The risk for falls is virtually present in every single workplace, however, the factors that can lead to a fall vary greatly.
- Falls often result from a combination of unsafe conditions and unsafe actions.
- Unsafe Conditions that Lead to Falls
- Unguarded leading edges
- Open holes
- Improper guardrails
- Damaged equipment (ladders, stairs, safety equipment, etc.)
- Slippery conditions
- Unmarked elevation changes
- Unsafe Actions that Lead to Falls
- Working at heights without fall protection or fall prevention methods in place
- Improper use of ladders
- Leaning over guardrails
STATS
- According to statistics published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 261,930 private industry and state and local government workers missed one or more days of work due to injuries from falls on the same level or to lower levels, and 798 workers died from such falls.
- A total of 5,190 workers were killed on the job in 2016; 849 of them died from falls. Of those, approximately 170 died from a fall off of a ladder, and falls of six feet or greater off of ladders are often fatal.
- At 25%, slip and fall injuries are the most frequently reported work accidents.
- Falls are the primary cause of lost time at work.
- 22% of falls result in more than 31 days of missed work.
- In Canada, more than 40,000 workers get injured annually due to fall accidents. This represents a significant chunk of “lost-time injuries” accepted by workers’ compensation boards or commissions across Canada.
- Falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries in the United States, accounting for approximately 8.9 million visits to the emergency department.