labor lawAdivision of labor law center

According to a recent Wisconsin OSHA report, in every workroom, the floor must be kept clean and dry to prevent accidents. In the places where wet processes are inevitable, platforms, mats or gratings should be used to avoid slips.

According to OSHA, 15 percent of all deadly accidents in the general industry are caused by slips, trips and falls. These standards approved by OSHA for passages apply to all permanent places of work. There are some exceptions such as agricultural, domestic and mining operations.

Hallways and other spaces where people walk are one of the areas to be included in a plan. For example, aisles must have enough room to allow two people to pass each other. In addition, the aisles should be sufficiently wide if mechanical handling equipped is used. If aisles are not sufficiently spaciousness, it can be a dangerous problem if an emergency occurs and people need to exit the building quickly. A lot of slip, trip and fall accidents happened when people are rushed in an emergency.

To prevent this kind of accident, the key is a strong safety awareness program. According to Wisconsin OSHA standards on this subject, a good measure is to update the Slips, Trips and Falls posters and put them in visible areas.

Housekeeping is one the most underestimated tasks in the prevention of slips, trips, and falls. The workplace in general must be kept in a sanitary condition, clean and orderly. That includes all the places for workers’ use, like corridors, storerooms and service rooms. Holes, splinters and protruding nails, and loose objects must be removed from every aisle, workspace and floor. Corridors and aisles shall be in good condition, and with no obstacles that can be dangerous. Another awareness measure to be considered is to put appropriate signs in permanent passageways and aisles.

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