labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Employers may not realize how serious slips, trips, and falls in the workplace can be, so the revised Arizona Worker Safety  standards should help.  According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, most general industry accidents involve slips, trips and falls. Moreover, these types of accidents result in 15% of all deaths. Only motor vehicles cause more deaths than slips, trips, and falls.

OSHA has revised the standards that cover surfaces in the workplace, such as walking surfaces and working surfaces. These revised standards apply to all permanent employers. The only industries exempt from these standards are those involving mining, agricultural, or domestic work.

To prevent slips, trips, and falls, employers can start by doing housekeeping. All work areas and floors should be kept clean and free of obstructions. Work areas include all places where employees perform work, storerooms, service rooms, and passageways. Keeping these areas clean, orderly, and in good repair will go a long way toward reducing the number of slips, trips, and falls that occur.

To remind employees about the importance of keeping workplaces clean, employers should post a Slips Trips Falls Poster. This poster points out to employees that all spills and drips should be cleaned up immediately. Also, employers should have a safety program to help reduce employee injuries.

OSHA standards require that floors in workrooms be kept clean and as dry as possible. If a business utilizes a wet process, then the employer should make certain that the floor has drains, mats, grating, or raised platforms.

In addition to keeping floors and work areas clean and dry, employers should keep them in good repair. Employers should fix hazards such as protruding nails, holes, splinters, and loose boards to prevent accidents. Also, passageways and aisles should be kept clear of clutter, and if an aisle or passageway is permanent, it could be labeled. All employers should strive to prevent slips, trips, and falls in the workplace.

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