Slips trips falls

Slips, Trips, and Falls

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Session ObjectivesThis training session discusses how to avoid slips, trips, and falls in the

workplace. This includes avoiding hazards on walking and working surfaces and work platforms, as well as how to avoid accidents on ladders and stairs.

The session is important for two main reasons:• First, slips, trips, and falls are a common kind of workplace accident that can

often be prevented. • Second, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA,

requires us to provide a workplace that is free of recognized hazards, including hazards that lead to slips, trips, and falls.

You will be able to:• Identify slip, trip, and fall hazards at work• Understand safety specifications and features of walking surfaces and

openings• Use stairs and ladders safely to avoid falls• Avoid and eliminate slip and trip hazards


Injury Statistics Injury statistics show just how common slip, trip, and

fall accidents are.• According to the Center for Disease Control and

Prevention, there are about 265,000 nonfatal injuries from slips, trips, and falls in the U.S. each year that result in one or more days away from work.

• Slips, trips, and falls represent about 17 percent of all nonfatal workplace injuries each year, the highest rate of injury of any single activity regulated by OSHA.


Slip, Trip, and Fall HazardsSlip, trip, and fall hazards include the following, among other

things:• Power cords, ropes, and hoses on floors and walkways are a

common tripping hazard;• Open-sided floors and platforms are fall hazards;• Clutter in floors, aisles, and other walkways are also common

tripping hazards;• Floor and wall holes and openings are both trip and fall

hazards;• Open pits, tanks, vats, and ditches, are fall hazards; and• Wet floors frequently cause slips and falls.

You can probably think of specific areas and situations in your workplace that create slip, trip, and fall hazards.


Open-Sided Floors and PlatformsNow let’s discuss how to reduce or eliminate

specific hazards.Open-sided floors and platforms have certain

requirements meant to prevent tripping and falling.

• All open-sided floors or platforms that are 4 feet or more above the floor or ground level must be guarded to prevent workers from falling to the lower level.

• Standard guard rails, or equivalent fall protection, are required for all open sides, except for entrances to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder.

• Toeboards are required to protect employees below from falling objects that could slide off an open work platform.

• Similarly, toeboards will also protect machinery or equipment that could be damaged by objects falling from an aboveground walkway or work platform.

Image credit: OSHA


Guarding Holes and OpeningsGuarding holes and openings in floors and other surfaces are

an important way to prevent falling.• A floor hole is considered to be any opening between 1

and 12 inches wide. This can include a belt hole, pipe opening, or slot opening. Although a person could not fall through a hole this small, he or she could step into it and be injured, or objects could fall through the hole.

• A floor opening is considered to be more than 12 inches wide in a floor, platform, pavement, or any other walking or working surface. It is large enough for a person to fall through. Examples include hatchways, pits, and manholes.

• Floor holes and floor openings should always be guarded with a standard railing and toeboard.

• Covering the hole or opening is another way to protect workers. Floor holes should be protected by a cover that leaves openings of no more than 1 inch. The cover should be held securely in place to prevent objects from falling through.

• During times when the cover is not in place, the floor hole should be attended by a attendant to keep others away from the hazard, or it should be protected by a standard railing and toeboard.

Image credit: Mine Safety and Health Administration


Guarding Stairway and Ladder Floor OpeningsFloor openings for stairways and ladders need

guarding or some other form of protection against falls.

• Guard stairway and ladder floor openings with a standard railing and toeboard on all sides except where the entrance is.

• The entrance to the ladder or stairway may be open as long as it is offset so that a person cannot walk directly into the opening. An example would be to have a landing of some kind as a passage to the stairway or ladder.

• It is recommended to have a swinging gate in the railing, as further protection against falling.

• Another option is to cover the opening with a hinged cover that is properly constructed and strong enough to provide protection. When the stairway or ladder is not being used, the cover should be closed. If the cover is not on, there should be an attendant, or the opening should be protected on all exposed sides by removable railings.


Guarding Hatchway and Chute Floor Openings

Floor openings for hatchways and chutes need guarding that is similar to other kinds of floor openings.

• A sturdy hinged cover can be used as long as it is properly constructed and strong enough for people to walk across. When the hatchway or chute is not being used, the cover needs to be kept closed, or the opening should be guarded with railings.

• A removable railing with a toeboard can be installed on one or two sides of the opening. The other two sides must be guarded with a fixed railing and toeboards. The removable railings should be kept in place when the opening is not in use.

• The areas under floor openings should be fenced off, to keep people from walking through the area when objects might fall on them from above. If fencing is not practical, the area should be marked with yellow lines, and warning devices such as ropes or ribbons should be installed.

• Audible alarm signals should be installed whenever floor openings are used to drop materials from one level to the next. The alarms warn employees on the lower level.

• Finally, skylights must be guarded by standard skylight screens or a fixed standard railing on all exposed sides.


Wall OpeningsWall openings are another kind of

falling hazard.• Holes or openings in walls or

partitions that are at least 30 inches high and 18 inches wide are covered by OSHA regulations.

• In other words, these openings are large enough for a person to fall through.

• If the wall opening presents the possibility of falling four feet or more to the ground below, it should be guarded with a railing, roller, picket fence, half door, or similar barrier.

• Install a toeboard to protect employees working below from being struck by falling objects.

Image credit: OSHA.gov


GuardrailsGuardrails act as a barrier along any open

edge to protect employees and objects from falling over the open edge to a lower level.

• The top rail of the guardrail must be 42 inches above the walking or working surface.

• The midrail must be halfway between the top rail and the walking or working surface, or about 21 inches high.

• A toeboard 4 inches tall is used to help prevent someone from stepping over the edge, and also to prevent someone from kicking tools or equipment over the edge so that they can fall on an employee on the lower level.

• Guardrails must be able to withstand reasonable force and prevent workers from falling to a lower level.


Aisles and PassagewaysAisles and passageways can often be full of

tripping and falling hazards.• Keep aisles and passageways, as well as

loading docks, doorways, and turning areas, clear for material-handling equipment such as forklifts and electrical pallet jacks. There should be no obstructions in these areas that could create a hazard.

• Mark aisles and passageways that are permanently used as such. Marking can be lines painted on the floor, or it can be pillars, striping, flags, traffic cones, or barrels that are in good conditions and can be recognized as markings by vehicle operators and other employees.

• Passageways with heavy vehicle traffic must be wide enough to provide a separate walkway for pedestrians, to prevent them from being struck by forklifts or other material-handling equipment.


Floor Load RatingThe “floor load rating” is important information for preventing falls

and other accidents. Walking surfaces, especially those that are suspended above ground, have weight limits for what can safely be loaded on them.

• Load ratings should be posted so that employees can see the rating of the walkway.

• Plates used to cover floor holes and openings, for example, should be marked with their load ratings.

• Similarly, aboveground walkways and working surfaces should be marked with their load ratings.

• Never exceed the posted load rating limit for floor covers and walkways.


Walking Surfaces and Openings—Questions?• Do you understand the material on walking

surfaces and openings, including open floors, floor holes and openings, aisles and passageways, or floor load ratings? It is time to ask yourself if you understand the material presented so far.It is important for your safety that you understand slip, trip, and fall hazards.


Use Stairs SafelyNow we’ll discuss safety procedures with stairs

and ladders.To use stairs safely, remember these safety

guidelines:• Use the handrails when going up or down

stairs. Even the most graceful person can potentially misstep, stub a toe, or otherwise trip on the stairs and fall. The handrail gives you an extra point of safety.

• Walk – don’t run – up and down stairs. Running or jumping increases the possibility of falling.

• Inspect the steps for slippery surfaces, such as oil, grease, or water, or for damaged steps. Be careful on carpeted steps because these can also be slippery.

• Do not put objects on the steps of stairways. Many people have the habit of putting things on the bottom steps that they intend to take upstairs later. However, someone else who does not expect the object to be there could trip and fall over it.


Use Fixed Ladders SafelyThere are different kinds of ladders and ways

to make sure you use them safely.• Fixed ladders are ladders that are

permanently attached to a structure or piece of equipment.

• Cages or wells are needed if the climbing height of a fixed ladder is more than 20 feet.

• The maximum unbroken height or length of this type of ladder is 30 feet, before being broken by a platform.

• Ladder safety devices may be used instead of cage protection on tower, water tank, and chimney ladders more than 20 feet high. Ladder safety devices means the worker wears a full-body harness with a lanyard attached to a device on the ladder. If the climber falls, the device automatically stops and locks, preventing the worker from falling a longer distance.


Set Up a Ladder With Safety in MindAlways set up non-fixed ladders with safety in mind. Use only

OSHA approved ladders with rungs uniformly spaced.Ladders shall only be used for there intended purpose.

• Put the ladder on a level surface. Avoid putting it on sloped surfaces, or on gravel or dirt that could give way and cause the ladder to fall.

• Angle the ladder properly, using the “4 to 1” rule. This means that the distance between the bottom of the ladder to the wall should be one-fourth the distance to the top of the ladder or its support point. The illustration on this slide shows a ladder that is 16 feet from the bottom to the support point, so the distance between the wall and the bottom of the ladder is four feet. Counting the number of rungs of the ladder will give you the approximate length of the ladder in feet.

• Secure the bottom of the ladder, or have someone hold it for you. Even if the ladder has anti-slip feet, securing the bottom provides extra safety.

• Extend the ladder at least 3 feet above the upper landing so that you have the ladder to hold onto when climbing from the ladder to the landing, or back from the landing to the ladder.

• If the ladder will be staying in one place for a long period of time, secure it at the top to prevent it from falling backward or to the side.

Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services


Climb Ladders SafelyTo climb ladders safely, remember these safety

rules:• Face the ladder when you are climbing or

descending. It is much harder to keep your balance if your back is toward the ladder.

• Climb with both hands. Don’t try to climb while holding tools or other objects in your hands. Always keep at least one hand on the ladder when painting or doing other projects.

• Use a tool belt or bucket hanger to carry tools or other necessary equipment.

• Keep your weight centered on the ladder; don’t lean to the side.

• Don’t stand on the two top steps of a stepladder. When using an extension ladder, don’t stand on the top four rungs, because you can’t keep a grip on the ladder when standing this high.


Inspect LaddersInspect ladders before every use to make sure they are safe.• Make sure the rungs are in good condition and are clean. They

should not be bent or otherwise damaged, and they should be free of oil, grease, or anything else that could make them slippery.

• Make sure the ladder locks function correctly. The locks are essential for keeping the ladder stable and secure.

• Use a nonconductive ladder when working around electrical equipment. This means fiberglass or wood—never aluminum.

• Check that the ladder has the correct load capacity for the task.• Finally, ladder feet should be of rubber or some other anti-slip

material.

• Unsafe ladder shall be tagged and removed from service.


Stairs and Ladders—Any Questions?• Do you understand

safety procedures for stairs and ladders?Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information presented so far.It’s important that you know how to use stairs and ladders safely.


Keep Walking and Working Surfaces Clear and CleanRemember to keep walking and working surfaces clear and

clean in order to reduce the hazards of slipping, tripping, and falling.

• Keep workroom floors clean and dry to eliminate slip hazards and prevent injuries. Keep gratings and drains clear to make sure liquids can drain off, and install mats or raised platforms where wet processes are used.

• Maintain a clean and orderly work area to prevent tripping injuries. Keep floors, walkways, work platforms, and passageways free from trip hazards such as protruding nails, loose boards, debris, tools, materials, and other objects.


Eliminate Trip HazardsYou can eliminate trip hazards by getting into these safety

habits:• Pick up tools, materials, and trash. Clean up straps and

bands from boxes or bundles – they can get tangled up in someone’s legs and cause a fall. If you need to work in a walkway, put cones or barricades around your tools and materials so other employees are aware of the hazard and can avoid your work area.

• Pick up or walk around obstructions, don’t walk through the middle or on top of them. If it’s appropriate to pick them up and put them away, do so. Otherwise, walk around them.

• Report dangerous walking and working surfaces, such as damaged flooring, uneven surfaces, loose boards, torn carpets, protruding nails, and other hazards so that they can be repaired to eliminate the trip hazard.

• Keep file drawers closed. Often, people in an office may not be paying attention or thinking to look for an unexpected obstruction like an open file drawer.

• Finally, keep power cords out of walkways and stairwells unless they are covered. If it’s necessary to string a cord across a walkway, tape it down securely and put a cone or warning sign nearby.


Eliminate Slip HazardsHelp eliminate slip hazards in the workplace by following these tips:• Clean up liquids that spill, and do it right away. Water and oil can be cleaned

up with rags, mops, squeegees, or floor absorbents. Chemical spills or leaks should be reported so that properly trained personnel can clean up the chemical.

• Sweep up debris and dust – don’t just step over or walk through a mess. Take the time to pick up or clean up the hazard.

• Stop and repair leaks in machinery, piping, and equipment that can cause a slip hazard. If you can’t repair the leak yourself, report it so that the proper personnel can be called.

• Install absorbent or liquid barriers around wet processes, such as splashing metalworking fluids, liquids used for parts cleaning, or other processes that involve liquids. Absorbent or barriers will prevent these liquids from flowing onto walking areas and causing slip-related injuries.

• Use warning signs, cones, or barricade tape around slip hazards such as wet floors. If necessary, stand guard to alert other employees to the hazard until it has been cleaned up and the surface is dry.


Wear Slip-Resistant ShoesWear slip-resistant shoes to protect yourself

against slipping and falling.• Ordinary street shoes—including athletic shoes

—are generally not intended to be slip-resistant in the work environment. For example, shoes that provide good traction on a basketball court are not designed to protect against slipping on surfaces that are wet from water, oil, or chemicals.

• Soft rubber soles provide slip resistance by gripping the surface of the floor. However, the soles will wear down quickly if they are too soft.

• Sole treads with channels are characteristic of slip-resistant shoes, because the channels carry the liquid out from under the shoe and allow the ridge of the sole to contact the floor.

• You still need to walk carefully, even when wearing slip-resistant shoes. Wearing the right shoes reduces the possibility of slipping on wet floors, but does not entirely eliminate it.


Be Alert, Use Common SenseBeing alert and using common sense are two of the best ways to reduce

slip, trip, and fall hazards.• First of all, be aware of all of the possible hazards in your work area.• Pay attention to wear you are going, and keep an eye out for possible

slip, trip, and fall hazards.• Adjust your stride according to the walking surface. If the surface is

dry and rough, you can probably walk quickly. But if the surface appears to be slippery, walk more slowly and shorten your steps. On ramps especially, walk slowly and test your traction.

• Make wide turns at corners. If you try to take a sharp corner quickly, you could plant your foot on a slippery surface and cause your feet to slide out from under you.

• Finally, don’t block your vision when carrying objects. Make sure you can always see the floor in front of you, so that you don’t slip or trip. Be especially careful when carrying objects on stairs or ramps.


Slip and Trip Safety—Any Questions?• Do you understand the slip

and trip hazards of walking and working surfaces?It is important for your safety that you understand slip, trip, and fall hazards and how to prevent injuries.


Key Things to RememberHere are the key things to remember from this training session on slips,

trips, and falls:• Check for unguarded openings in floors, platforms, or walls. Make

sure the proper guards are in place, such as railings or covers.• Keep walkways free of hazards; remove all tripping hazards if you

can.• Use stairs and ladders safely. Be careful on stairs, and make sure

that you follow all safety guidelines when using fixed ladders, extension ladders, or stepladders.

• Finally, prevent slip and trip hazards by following good housekeeping practices. Clean up liquid spills and dust, debris, and stray objects that might cause someone to slip or trip. If you see a hazard, correct it or report it.

This concludes the training session on slips, trips, and falls.

Date post:	18-Jan-2017
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