WHAT’S AT STAKE

Most workers have a healthy respect for safety when working at heights, but often they aren’t as mindful of the same slip, trip and fall hazards that can exist in same-level areas.

WHAT’S THE DANGER

Falls are a leading cause of workplace injury and death. Many serious incidents occur in falls from the same level, such as when someone slips or trips.

EXAMPLE

A worker enters a workplace with a wet umbrella and doesn’t realize that she is dripping water over the tile hallway. Another worker enters and promptly slips on the wet tiling, suffering bruises and a sore back for days afterwards.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

• If you see a spill, attend to it promptly, before anyone slips on it.
• Never leave doors and cabinet drawers open. Unsuspecting co-workers can trip over open drawers or bang their heads or bodies into open cabinet or cupboard doors.
• Low light is a major contributing factor to falls. If areas are poorly lit or bulbs have burned out and not been replaced, report these hazards to your supervisor.
• Never leave objects on stairways or in aisles. People don’t expect to trip over a tool or box on a stairway and they aren’t watching out for these obstacles.
• Be sure to wear appropriate footwear for the conditions and check that there is plenty of tread to provide good grip on potentially slippery surfaces. Also make sure that your shoe laces are tied tightly at all times.
• Even if you are in a hurry, don’t run. You could bump into a co-worker who is carrying a hazardous chemical or operating a sharp tool. Or you might end up running into the path of a moving forklift or other piece of machinery.
• If you see loose treading on a stairway or raised carpeting or other flooring that could cause someone to trip, don’t ignore it. Report it to your supervisor.
• If you can’t see around or over an object that you are carrying, you aren’t safe and neither is anyone in your path. Get help carrying large or bulky objects and ensure that your chosen path is free of clutter and other workers.
• Ensure that handrails and hand holds are securely fastened to walls. A loose rail or hand hold can send a worker tumbling if it suddenly breaks free from a wall.

FINAL WORD

Falls are often made light of in slap-stick comedy, but the results of a fall are often anything but funny. Even a short fall can cause serious head injuries or disabilities from which workers may never fully recover. Watch where you are walking at all times.