News

Avoiding Slips, Trips and Falls

Winter isn’t the only time workers fall while on the job.

Many Manitobans have already this summer suffered injuries due to slips, trips and falls (read the Hazard Alerts for descriptions of some of these incidents). In fact, across the province, approximately 2,800 workers are hurt in fall-related incidents each year.

While you may not consider them as such, slips, trips and falls are workplace incidents – and they are preventable.

One of the most important elements of a workplace safety and health program is an effective system to identify and control hazards including things that could lead to slips, trips and falls.

So what causes falls?

More than 69 per cent of all workplace falls in Manitoba happen on level ground when workers slip or trip and lose their footing. The remainder happen when workers lose their footing from an elevated point like a ladder, top of a staircase, or from a roof, if an effective fall protection system is not being used.

Slips may be caused by inconsistencies in walking surfaces. These can include standing substances such as water, oil, ice, loose gravel and worn-out flooring surfaces.

Workers may trip when a surface is uneven or another object gets in the way of a walking path. Trips start with a loss of balance and most often end in a fall.

Common trip triggers include poor lighting, uneven carpet or flooring, stairs, cables or other electrical equipment in walkways and workers not paying attention.

Most often, falls happen because of an unexpected change in conditions –surface conditions, environmental conditions or walking conditions.

To minimize the effect of a change in conditions, always wear proper footwear and be alert to changes in your walking path.

You can also help protect those around you from falls by:

  • Cleaning all spills on walking surfaces
  • Barricading all wet or uneven area
  • Removing non-barricade obstacles from walkways
  • Covering cables on walking surfaces Ensuring walkways are well lit
  • Tacking down loose mats or rugs

 

Ultimately, it is everyone’s responsibility to avoid slips, trips and falls – but ensuring that your workplace has a system in place to identify and control hazards is the best place to start.

Download SAFE Work Tips to Avoid Slips, Trips and Falls