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Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls in Your Workplace

As the seasons change, so do increased safety risks. Here are several helpful tips to reduce the potential for these common and sometimes serious injuries.

It is more than likely that somebody in your company has experienced a slip and fall during colder weather months, and hopefully, it didn’t have serious results. The risks can be high. In 2020, 805 workers died in falls, and 211,640 were injured badly enough to require days off of work. Of the 1,176,340 nonfatal work injuries, 18% of the injuries resulting in days away from work were related to slips, trips, and falls.

By educating and encouraging your employees around certain safety measures, you can lower the potential of these costly claims.

In an attempt to save you some avoidable expenses this fall and winter, socialize these important reminders to reduce the potential for injury.

Not all slips and falls occur in wet, snowy, and icy conditions, but the potential increases during colder weather. If you have experienced an injury loss already due to a slip or fall from ice and/or snow conditions, then you are aware of the physical pain and suffering during these instances, along with the expense to your company and the effect this has on your insurance premiums.

In terms of risk management, there are a few recommendations that employers should consider. No one can control the weather, but everyone has the ability to take reasonable precautions for their protection.

Here are some recommendations to reduce the potential for injury for you and your employees:

  • When walking, don’t rush; take the time to walk carefully.
  • When walking up or down steps, use the handrail.
  • If carrying items, products, etc., proper balance is vital; a careful pace is essential to reducing the potential of a fall.
  • Scan the area where you will be going and watch out for slip or trip hazards.
  • Use extra care walking across parking lots, sanded, cleared, or otherwise. Don’t carry objects that will put you off balance.
  • Use ice melt to help clear pathways of ice.
  • Put down a mat that will absorb water, snow, and ice at the entrances of your building, especially in high-traffic areas.
  • Always use the “3-point” technique to get in and out of vehicles.
  • When getting out of the vehicle, view where you will be stepping; consider keeping plastic bottles of sand and salt in company vehicles.
  • Clear parking areas of snow and use sand to reduce the loss of traction when walking.
  • Purchase “Microspikes” or “Yak Tracks” to help employees manage slippery conditions and make their use mandatory; new types are cost-effective and convenient to apply and remove.

Everyone, from your drivers to your office employees, can take extra care this fall and winter at home and work. Your active involvement in safety and risk management is vital to the success of your company and the actions you take will benefit both you and your employees.

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