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Nevada OSHA

May 9th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

Have you ever laughed at a cartoon character that slipped on a banana peel? Slips, trips, and falls may sound comical, like minor annoyances at worst. But that is a false first impression. They actually represent the most common accidents in the industrial workplace, and cause 15% of all deaths there. Not only that, they are second only to vehicle accidents as a cause of death, according to OSHA.

Recently revised Nevada OSHA standards mean it is time for you as an employer to update your Slips Trips Falls Poster. The newly revised standards are for walking and working surfaces, and with few exceptions apply to all permanent workplaces.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, strong safety awareness programs are important when it comes to stopping accidents – and that includes slips, trips, and falls.

The most commonly overlooked way of stopping the problem is simple housekeeping. If you as an employer keep all of your areas – whether they are service rooms, storerooms, or passageways – clean and orderly, you are helping promote safety. That, plus the prominent display of your Slips Trips Falls Poster, will go a long way toward accident prevention. Posters will remind workers to clean up every spill and spot.

The revised Nevada OSHA standards apply to just about all workplaces. The few exceptions are those permanent places where agricultural, mining, or domestic work is being performed. According to OSHA, every workplace floor must be kept clean and as dry as possible. Sometimes, industrial work requires a “wet” process. In those cases, you must have drainage, as well as mats, raised platforms, or gratings.

The aisles must be wide enough to accommodate mechanical equipment, where it is used. They must be wide enough for two people to pass. Messy, narrow aisles can result in damaged material and equipment, injured workers, and blocked emergency exits. When people are hurrying to get out of a building, accidents from tripping and falling are a likely occurrence.