The U.S. Department of Labor has some alarming statistics on the prevalence of slips, trips in falls in the workplace.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), slips and falls are responsible for 15% of all workplace deaths and 25% of all workplace injuries. These injuries result in 95 million lost days from work each year.
If you’ve been injured, or know someone who has, numbers are pretty meaningless. If the fall was off a ladder or a roof, the injuries can be downright painful, and even fatal in some cases.
Continue reading for 7 suggestions on how you can prevent a slip, trip or fall at work:
- Have proper lighting
- Wear appropriate shoes and clothing
- Behave yourself!!
- Be on the lookout, and address slipper and wet surfaces
- Keep your work area(s) clean
- Eliminate and/or avoid obstacles
- Be mindful of traction control, as how slippery a surface depends on weather conditions much of the time.
If an injury occurs, remember that you qualify to file a claim, regardless of whether the accident is your fault or not.