Corporate Risk Management: Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls

In 2020, 805 American workers died in falls, while a further 211,640 suffered injuries bad enough to require days off of work as a result of slips, trips, and falls.

Workers don’t have to fall from a height to sustain fatal injuries either. A total of 136 workers died after falls on the same level in 2020. And, while construction workers are most at risk, falls can even happen to those working desk jobs.

All this paints a clear picture of why corporate risk management needs to make preventing trips and falls a priority. But what are some ways to stop these accidents from happening? Let’s take a look!

Keep Walk-Through and Work Areas Clear

To prevent workplace trips and falls, everyone must make an effort to keep walk-through and working areas clear. Emphasize the importance of everyone adopting a “clean as you go” mentality. Employees need to do their part in keeping trash, cords, spills, and equipment away from high-traffic areas.

Identify and Highlight Potential Hazards

No matter how well constructed or safety-conscious an environment is, there are always trip and fall hazards. The best way to avoid these hazards causing accidents is to identify and highlight them beforehand.

For example, curbs and changes in elevation are prime spots for trips and falls. But by using appropriate signage or highlighting the curb with bright paint, you can help to warn people to use care when walking in this area.

Use Railings on Stairs and Slopes

Stairs are a common area for workplace falls. But when assessing staircase risks you shouldn’t ignore the dangers of access slopes.

This is why it’s vital to install architectural metal railings on all indoor and outdoor slopes as well as stairs. Doing so ensures optimal safety when entering and moving around the workplace via any route or means.

Encourage Employees to Wear Suitable Footwear

Suitable footwear can make a big difference to employee safety. Make sure all your workers know which kinds of shoes are best for your working environment.

Closed shoes with soft, rubber soles and secure fastenings tend to be the best for preventing workplace falls. You should also encourage employees to keep their shoes clean to maintain traction.

Install Proper Lighting

Workplace safety measures can only do so much if your lighting isn’t up to scratch. Proper lighting both inside and outside of the workplace can help illuminate potentially hazardous areas.

Often, darkness and shadows can make steps and other hazards less visible than they should be. By installing proper lighting, such as motion-sensor corridor lights or illuminated steps, you can reduce the chance of slips and falls.

Corporate Risk Management

Corporate risk management strategies like these don’t only help prevent serious, debilitating, and sometimes even fatal trips and falls, they also help businesses save money and time.  Corporate risk management strategies like these don’t only help prevent serious, debilitating, and sometimes even fatal trips and falls, they also help businesses save money and time.

For these reasons, employee safety should be a top priority for every member of every company.

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