Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common causes of injury on the job and at home. Everyone slips, trips, or falls on occasion. We tend to shrug off these accidents as just clumsy moments. But sometimes, they can result in serious, painful—and even deadly—injuries.

It’s important to recognize slip, trip, and fall hazards on the job when you see them so that you can take proper precautions to prevent accidents and protect yourself and co-workers from injury.

Session Objectives

The main objective of this session is to eliminate slip, trip, and fall hazards in the workplace and prevent accidents. By the time the session is finished, you should be able to:

• Recognize slips, trips, and falls as a serious safety problem;
• Identify slip, trip, and fall hazards on the job, at home, and outdoors;
• Avoid or eliminate slip, trip, and fall hazards;
• Prevent falls from heights and on stairs;
• Prevent falls at work, outdoors, and at home; and
• Minimize injuries if you do fall.

Prequiz: How Much Do You Know?

Before we begin the session, let’s take a few minutes to see how much you already know about slips, trips, and falls. Decide whether each statement on the screen is true or false.

Now, let’s go over the answers:

• Slip, trip, and fall accidents are uncommon in the workplace—This is false.
• Some slip, trip, and fall accidents can cause serious injuries—This is true.
• There’s little you can do on the job to prevent slips, trips, and falls except watch where you’re going.

—This is false.

• And finally, you should look for slip, trip, and fall hazards around your home as well as at work

—This is true.

How did you do? Did you get all the answers right?

If not, don’t worry. You’ll learn all about these issues and a lot more during the session.

Injury Statistics

Let’s begin by looking at some statistics about workplace slips, trips, and falls.

• According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 230,000 workers in the United States sustained nonfatal injuries from slips, trips, and falls in a recent year, each resulting in one or more days away from work. Although some of these injuries were only temporarily disabling, others left workers permanently disabled.
• Most years slips, trips, and falls result in somewhere between 15 percent and 20 percent of all nonfatal workplace injuries, the highest frequency of injury of any single regulated activity.
• In one recent year, 803 workers died as a result of workplace falls.

Types of Injuries

Slips, trips, and falls are usually minor and don’t result in permanent injury. But sometimes these accidents are serious. As we said earlier, some are permanently disabling. And injuries can occur whether you fall from a height, like from a ladder, or just slip or trip at ground level. Injuries resulting from slips, trips, or falls include:

• Back or spine injuries that can cause paralysis in the most serious cases;
• Head injuries that can include brain damage in the most serious cases;
• Muscle strains;
• Sprains;
• Broken bones; or
• Death—someone dies in a fall on the job practically every day.

Think about a slip, trip, or fall you or a co-worker has had. What kind of injury resulted?

Common Slip, Trip, And Fall Hazards

Common workplace hazards that lead to slips, trips, and falls include:

• Not keeping work areas neat and orderly, not picking things off the floor, and so on;
• Poor visibility caused by inadequate lighting or burned-out lights in halls, stairwells, and outside;
• Not watching where you’re going or carrying something you can’t see over;
• Running or walking too fast; and
• Spills and wet or slippery floors.

Common Slip, Trip, And Fall Hazards (cont.)

Other common hazards include:

• Clutter on stairs or in walkways;
• Open drawers;
• Uneven, defective flooring, worn stairs, or worn spots in carpets that nobody has bothered to report or fix;
• Wet or slippery surfaces;
• Failure to use handrails when going up or down the stairs;
• Lack of caution on ladders—especially using ladders that are defective or slippery; and
• Wearing shoes that are not appropriate for the workplace or the job.

Take a moment to consider all the slip, trip, and fall hazards in your work area or anywhere else in the facility.

Eliminate Trip And Fall Hazards

You don’t have to fall from a great height to get injured. Many fall injuries occur on level ground when people trip over unexpected objects in their path. Here are some important ways to help eliminate trip hazards.

• Keep your work area neat and tidy. Put things away after use. Pick up items from the floor, even if you didn’t put them there.
• Step over or around obstructions, not on them.
• Walk slowly and change directions slowly, especially when carrying a load.
• Watch for changes in floor level—such as a few steps or a ramp up or down.
• And finally, if lighting is inadequate or bulbs are burned out, report the problem to maintenance right away. Never enter a dark room or area before turning on a light. Outside, use a flashlight at night if you need more light coming to or going from the workplace.

Eliminate Trip And Fall Hazards (cont.)

Here are some additional tips for eliminating trip hazards:

• Don’t leave boxes, tools, or other materials on the floor;
• Don’t block walkways with hand trucks, forklifts, cords, or other equipment;
• Don’t place anything on stairs; and
• Don’t leave drawers open.

Can you think of any other steps you could take to eliminate trip hazards in your work area?

Prevent Slips and Falls

It’s easy to slip on wet, painted, waxed, or smooth surfaces, and down you go. To avoid slip hazards, be sure to remember these important tips.

• Clean up spills, drips, and leaks immediately anywhere you find them. If you can’t do it yourself, report the problem to maintenance and ask them to take care of it right away.
• Put up signs or barriers to warn people when floors are wet, slippery, or otherwise hazardous.
• Also, put down mats near entryways on wet days to help keep floors dry.
• Wear sensible shoes with nonskid soles, and wipe your feet when you come inside if they’re wet from outside.
• On wet or slippery surfaces, walk slowly and slide your feet.
• Finally, be sure to report icy spots outside right away so that they can be sanded.

Can you think of any other steps you could take to eliminate slip hazards in your work area?

More Ways to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

• Of course, one of the best ways to prevent slips and trips is to use common sense. Always be alert to all the potential slip and trip hazards. Pay attention to where you’re going and always keep an eye out for potential hazards.
• Adjust your stride according to the walking surface. Slow down on slippery surfaces, ramps, stairs, or in areas where there are obstructions in your path.
• Make wide turns at corners. If you try to take a sharp corner and plant your foot to cut and turn, that foot could be planted on a slippery surface and cause your feet to slide right out from under you.
• And finally, when carrying objects, do not carry so many items that your forward vision is blocked. Make sure you can always see the floor in front of you, especially when traveling up and down stairs or ramps.

Exercise

Let’s take a few minutes now for a true or false exercise. Your job is to decide if the statements on the screen are true or false.

• You should pick up items and clean up spills even if you didn’t put them there—The correct answer is true. If you see a slip or trip hazard, remove it.
• Good housekeeping helps eliminate slip, trip, and fall hazards—The correct answer is true. Keeping your work area neat is one of the best ways to prevent slips, trips, and falls.
• If you can’t eliminate a slip or trip hazard, just avoid it and forget about it—The correct answer is false. If you can’t fix a problem yourself, report it right away and try to block it off so no one gets hurt until it’s fixed.
• Walk quickly over slippery spots to avoid slipping—The correct answer is false. Walk slowly, slide your feet, and try to balance by holding onto a nearby surface, such as the wall or a bookcase.

How did you do? Did you get all the answers right?

Review

Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information presented so far about slips, trips, and falls. For example, do you understand what we’ve said about:

• Types of fall injuries?
• Common slip, trip, and fall hazards?
• How to eliminate trip and fall hazards?
• How to prevent slips and falls?

It’s important to understand all this information so that you can help prevent slips, trips, and falls in the workplace.

Let’s continue now to the next slide and talk about preventing falls on stairs.

Be Careful on Stairs

Stairs can be dangerous, especially if you’re not taking precautions.

• Always be sure to hold onto the handrails going up or down, and be sure handrails are secure. Even the most athletic person can misstep, stub a toe, or otherwise trip on the stairs and fall. The handrail gives you that extra point of contact.
• Also walk up and down stairs. Running, taking stairs two at a time, or jumping just increases the possibility of falling.
• Inspect the steps for slippery surfaces, such as wet spots caused by spills. Check for damaged steps.
• Avoid putting objects on stairs. Many people have the habit of putting objects that they intend to take upstairs later on the bottom steps of the stairs. However, someone else unaware of the object could fall or trip over it.
• And finally, be especially careful when carrying objects while going up or down stairs. Try to leave one hand free for the handrail.

Think about a stair accident that you’ve had or heard about. How could this accident have been prevented?

Use Ladders Safely

• Preventing falls from ladders starts with selecting the right ladder for the job and using it safely. For example, a stepstool might be just what you need to safely get to an item on a shelf that is just out of reach. For reaching higher places, use a stepladder. You should have several different heights to choose from.
• Inspect ladders before use to make sure they are in good, safe condition. The rungs should be clean and not cracked or broken.
• Make sure to set ladders up correctly so that they are stable and secure.
• Climb and descend safely, facing the ladder and holding on to the rails.
• Use a tool belt to carry tools, and hoist other materials up in a bucket.
• Hold on with one hand while you’re working on a ladder, and don’t overreach.

What are some of the jobs you perform that require you to use a ladder?

Do you always follow the precautions we’ve just mentioned?

Prevent Slips, Trips And Falls Outdoors

Take care to prevent slips, trips, and falls outdoors as well, especially in bad weather when it’s wet or slippery.

• Look where you’re going when walking outdoors or working outside in your back yard. People often walk with cell phones and get so involved in their conversations that they forget to look where they’re going and trip and fall. Be sure to watch for uneven surfaces or protruding tree roots and stones.
• Wear shoes with soles that give good traction.
• Slow down, shorten your stride, and take small steps when the pavement is slippery.
• Wipe your feet when you come indoors with wet shoes.
• Sand or salt slippery or icy spots immediately.
• Wear sunglasses outside on sunny days to prevent glare and improve vision. Sunglasses are especially important when there’s snow or ice on the ground so that you can see icy spots.

Think of outdoor fall hazards you may face every day—for example, when coming to work, in your backyard, or when out running errands.

Prevent Slips, Trips, And Falls at Home

Be sensible and safe inside your home, too. Take appropriate fall prevention steps to protect you and your family. For example:

• Use a sturdy stepstool to reach high shelves in kitchens or closets— do not use a chair;
• Follow the same ladder safety procedures at home that you use at work;
• Clean up spills immediately on kitchen, bathroom, and workshop floors;
• Use a bath mat in the bathtub or shower to prevent slips and falls;
• Fix frayed carpet edges or curling floor tiles;
• Make sure stairs and handrails are in good condition and secure;
• And finally, be sure to turn on the light when entering a dark room or you could trip over something you didn’t see.

Can you think of some other slip, trip, and fall hazards around your home?

What to Do If You’re Falling

If you begin to fall, you can minimize injury by falling correctly. Here’s what to do:

• Bend elbows and knees to absorb the shock of the fall;
• Roll with the fall;
• Protect your head by tucking toward a collarbone;
• Use your hands and the insides of your forearms to help break the fall; and
• Yell or exhale as you fall. The reason for this is that you’re better off in a fall if your body is relatively loose and relaxed. Yelling or exhaling helps accomplish this goal.

What to Do If You’re Hurt

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to prevent it, you will fall. If you are injured—even if it is minor—be sure to:

• Report the incident to your supervisor. Your supervisor needs to know about any employee injuries. OSHA requires us to record them. We also need to know so that we can correct any hazards that may have caused a slip, trip, or fall. Don’t worry, you won’t be blamed or penalized for reporting an incident.
• Get medical attention, if necessary. Falls can cause serious physical problems if injuries are untreated. With the proper treatment you can be back on your feet and free of pain much more quickly.
• Many times, after a fall, the full extent of your injuries may not be immediately apparent. That’s why it’s important to report the fall and be fully examined to avoid potential complications.
• And, be sure to follow doctor’s orders. Take prescribed medications. Give injuries time to heal. Participate in recommended physical therapy.

You should always report workplace accidents—no matter how minor. Do you know how to report an accident? If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor about the proper procedure.

Exercise

Now it’s time to test your knowledge of the information presented in the previous slides. We talked about fall prevention on stairs, on ladders, outdoors, and at home. On the screen you see two columns. Your job is to match the actions in the right-hand column to the places in the left-hand column.

OK, let’s review your matches.

How did you do? Did you get all the matches right? You should be able to think of some other slip, trip, and fall prevention tips that match stairs, ladders, outdoors, and home as well.

Review

Let’s take a moment now to review and make sure you understand the information presented in the previous slides. For example, do you understand what we’ve said about:

• Preventing falls on stairs?
• Preventing falls from ladders?
• Preventing falls outdoors?
• Preventing falls inside your home?
• What to do if you’re falling?
• What to do if you get hurt in a fall?

It’s important to understand all this information so that you can help prevent slips, trips, and falls in the workplace. Continue now to the final slide and some key points to remember.

Key Points To Remember

Here are the main points to remember from this session on slips, trips, and falls:

• Keep walkways clear.
• Clean up spills promptly and pick up trip hazards.
• Make sure stairs and ladders are safe and use them carefully.
• Walk slowly, watch where you’re going, and wear proper work shoes.
• And finally, make sure you can see over loads you carry.

This concludes the Slips, Trips, and Falls for Employees training session.