Tackle These 4 Causes Of Slip & Fall Injuries In The Workplace
A slip & fall injury is one of the worst things to happen in your business. Whether it happens to an employee or a customer, you’re liable for the damages to them. This opens your business up for a lawsuit, particularly if you have made no steps to prevent this accident from happening. To improve workplace safety for everyone, you need to tackle the main causes of these injuries. Multiple things can lead to a slip & fall incident, but these are the biggest culprits:
If the floor in your workplace is wet from a spillage of some kind, it poses a huge risk to everyone. Consequently, you need to take action right away. Put signs near any wet areas while you go and get the equipment to clean them. Ensure any spillages are mopped and dried instantly, stopping people from slipping and falling on them. Opting for a flooring choice that absorbs water is also a possibility. For instance, a carpet in your office can prevent wet floor slips.
Likewise, dirty floors that are covered in debris can cause accidents. People might bring stuff in from outside - like loose leaves, stones, twigs, and who knows what else. Plus, you have debris that can be generated from around the workplace. In any case, it's very easy for someone to step on the dirty floor and slip on something. There’s an easy way to stop this, and it’s by cleaning your floors regularly. Invest in commercial floor cleaning machines to sweep up all dust and debris, leaving the floor spotless. Right away, there are fewer ways for people to trip and fall over, lowering the accident risk in your workplace.
Yes, stairs by themselves can be a cause of slip & fall injuries. People can slip on stairs if they’re not careful, which is why precautions should be put in place. Of course, no stairway should be complete without railings for people to hold onto. Alongside this, you should apply anti-slip guards to each step. This is a strip of material that provides extra grip and can stop people’s shoes from slipping on the edge of the step.
Office settings are particularly culpable of having loads of loose wires hanging everywhere. In turn, people can catch their feet on these wires, falling over and hurting themselves. So, focus on good cable management to keep your wires away from the workplace and hidden below or behind desks. Also, consider using wireless devices where possible, reducing the number of wires in your workplace.
You can never 100% reduce slip & fall incidents in your business. However, you can certainly put protective measures in place that reduce the chances of these incidents happening. The four things listed above are the most common causes of accidents at work. If you work on stopping them from causing slip & fall injuries, your business becomes a much safer place. It’s safer for your employees, your customers, and anyone else who ventures inside. Plus, you’ve clearly taken action to reduce the risks, which will play in your favor if someone ever does get hurt at work.
