labor lawAdivision of labor law center

To prevent slips, trips and falls it is very important to develop a strong safety awareness program. For example, if you need to move mechanical tools, you will need aisles sufficiently wide.

Another example is the space in a corridor: there should be lots of room for two people to go by. If you combine aisles with too little space, bad maintenance and vehicle traffic, the result can be damaged equipment, injured employees, and even serious accidents. This is especially true during a fire or another emergency, when many employees must leave the building quickly. Too many employees are injured when they hurry to exit a building.

The number of people who are killed because of slip, trip and fall accidents is exceptionally high. According to OSHA, they constitute a large part of general industry accidents. Fifteen percent of all accidental fatalities in the workplace are produced by this kind of accident, and it is the second cause of death in the workplace in the United States. The first cause is motor vehicles accidents.

Maintaining clean, sanitary conditions and a well-ordered workplace can prevent future accidents. Housekeeping is often ignored as a cause of slips, trips and falls. Good housekeeping includes cleaning the offices, but also other places, like warehouses, service rooms and corridors.

Displaying posters with slip, trip and fall warnings and tips is a good way to prevent accidents. Such posters advise employees to clean up debris or dry spills when they are noticed. Every part of the workplace must be maintained in a dry and clean condition. Carpets, gratings or platforms should be used in areas that are inevitably wet.

Splinters, protruding nails, and holes could be causes of mishaps in passageways, floors and working places. Appropriate signs in permanent aisles and corridors, and good conditions and no obstacles in any aisle, help employees avoid needless risks.

The OSHA standards regulate safety programs for walking and working. They apply to most private businesses except mineworkers, employees in agricultural operations and domestic workers.

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