Slips, Trips and Falls

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1. Slide 1

   Slips, Trips& Falls

   • Identification & Prevention
2. Slide 2

   Disclaimer

   • This material was produced under grant number SH-29660-SH6 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
3. Slide 3

   Objectives

   • Costs of slips, trips & falls (STFs)
   • Definitions
   • Causes of STFs
   • Risk factors
   • Prevention/minimization
4. Slide 4

   Costs of STFs

   • Slips, trips & falls can happen anywhere in your operation
   • Slips & trips can result in falls, possibly disability or death
   • Costs to employer & worker can be substantial
5. Slide 5

   Costs of STFs

   • To the employer:
   • Loss of productivity & business
   • Increased industrial insurance premiums
   • Costs associated with training replacement worker
6. Slide 6

   Costs of STFs

   • To the worker:
   • Lost wages & out-of-pocket expenses
   • Pain
   • Temporary or permanent disability
   • Reduced quality of life
   • Depression
   • Death
7. Slide 7

   Frequency of STFs

   • Slips, trips & falls make up majority of general industry accidents (USDoL)
   • 15% of all accidental deaths; 2 nd leading cause behind motor vehicles
   • ~12,000/year
   • One of most frequently-reported injuries
   • ~25% of reported claims/year
   • Over 17% of all disabling occupational injuries result from falls
   • Most could have been prevented
8. Slide 8

   STF Injuries

   • Sprains & strains
   • Bruises & contusions
   • Fractures
   • Abrasions & lacerations
9. Slide 9

   Typical Injury Sites

   • Knee, ankle and/or foot
   • Wrist &/or elbow
   • Back &/or shoulder
   • Hip
   • Head
10. Slide 10

    Definitions

    • Slip
    • Too little friction or traction between feet (footware) & walking/working surface, resulting in loss of balance
11. Slide 11

    Definitions

    • Trip
    • Foot or lower leg hits object & upper body continues moving, resulting in loss of balance
    • Stepping down to lower surface & losing balance
    • Potential Trip Hazards?
12. Slide 12

    Definitions

    • Fall
    • Occurs when too far off center of balance
    • Two types
    • Fall at same level
    • Fall to same walking or working surface, or fall into or against objects above same surface
    • Fall to lower level
    • Fall to level below walking or working surface
13. Slide 13

    Causes of Slips

    • Wet product or spills on smooth floors or walking surfaces
    • Water
    • Mud
    • Grease
    • Oil
    • Food
    • Blood
    • Offal
14. Slide 14

    Causes of Slips

    • Dry product or spills making walking surface slippery
    • Dusts
    • Powders
    • Granules
    • Wood
    • Plastic wrapping
15. Slide 15

    Causes of Slips

    • Highly-polished floors can be slick even when dry
    • Concrete
    • Marble
    • Ceramic tile
    • Freshly-waxed surfaces
    • Transitioning from one surface to another
    • Carpeted to vinyl
    • Grid to smooth concrete
16. Slide 16

    Causes of Slips

    • Sloped walking surfaces
    • Loose, unanchored rugs or mats
    • Loose floorboards or shifting tiles
    • Wet, muddy or greasy shoes
    • Ramps & gang planks without skid- or slip-resistant surfaces
17. Slide 17

    Causes of Slips

    • Metal surfaces
    • Dockboards & dock plates
    • Platforms
    • Sidewalk & road covers
    • Mounting & dismounting vehicles & equipment
    • Climbing ladders
    • Loose, irregular surfaces such as gravel
18. Slide 18

    Causes of Slips

    • Sloped, uneven or muddy terrain
    • Weather hazards
    • Leaves, pine needles & other plant debris (wet or dry)
19. Slide 19

    Causes of Trips

    • Uncovered hoses, cables, wires or extension cords across aisles or walkways
    • Clutter, obstacles in aisles, walkway & work areas
    • Open cabinet, file or desk drawers & doors
20. Slide 20

    Causes of Trips

    • Changes in elevation or levels
    • Unmarked steps or ramps
    • Rumpled or rolled-up carpets/mats or carpets with curled edges
    • Irregularities in walking surfaces
    • Thresholds or gaps
    • Missing or uneven floor tiles & bricks
21. Slide 21

    Causes of Trips

    • Damaged steps
    • Non-uniform, improper or irregular steps
    • Tread
    • Taller of shorter
    • Shallower tread depth
    • Otherwise irregular Riser
22. Slide 22

    Causes of Trips

    • Debris, accumulated waste materials
    • Trailing cables, pallets, tools in gangways
    • Objects protruding from walking surface
    • Uneven surfaces
    • Sidewalk/curb drops
    • Speed bumps
    • Tire bumpers
    • Wheelchair ramps & curbs
    • Driveways
23. Slide 23

    Environmental Conditions

    • Poor lighting
    • Glare
    • Shadows
    • Bulky PPE (includes improper footwear)
    • Excess noise or temperature
    • Fog or misty conditions
    • Poor housekeeping
    • Improper cleaning methods & products
    • Inadequate or missing signage
24. Slide 24

    Human Factors Increasing Risk of Trips & Slips - Physical

    • Failing eyesight &/or visual perception
    • Age
    • Physical condition & fatigue
    • Stress or illness
    • Medications, alcohol & drug effects
25. Slide 25

    Human Factors Increasing Risk of Trips & Slips - Behavior

    • Carrying or moving cumbersome objects or simply too many objects at one time
    • Not paying attention to surroundings or walking distracted
    • Taking unapproved shortcuts
    • Being in a hurry and rushing
26. Slide 26

    STFs are Preventable

    • Design of workplace & work processes-Design workplace & processes to prevent potential exposures to slip & trip hazards
    • Good housekeeping-Maintain clear, tidy work areas free of clutter
    • Safe walking practices
    • Follow safe walking practices & routes
    • Wearing proper footwear
    • Wear proper footwear with good traction
    • Learn to fall “properly”
    • There are techniques that can minimize fall injuries
27. Slide 27

    Workplace/Work Process Design

    • Contain work processes to prevent discharge, splatter, or spillage of liquids, oils, particles, dusts & offal onto floor
    • Local exhaust ventilation
    • Extraction/collection systems
    • Enclosures
    • Work surfaces with raised or lipped edges
    • Catch/drip pans, drain-offs
28. Slide 28

    Workplace/Work Process Design

    • Use drip trays to contain leaks of lubricant onto floor from machinery
    • Perform regularly scheduled maintenance
    • Use adequate ventilation to avoid smoke, steam & condensation of water & grease onto floor
    • Provide adequate lighting to keep work areas, aisles & paths of travel well lit
29. Slide 29

    Workplace/Work Process Design

    • Mark/highlight step edges & transition areas (changes in elevations)
    • Use anti-skid paint, slip-resistant coatings & strips
    • Make sure stairs have sufficient lighting & hand rails
    • Provide effective drainage, false floors or work platforms
    • Install slip-resistant floors in high risk areas
30. Slide 30

    OSHA’s Regulations 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D

31. Slide 31

    Housekeeping

    • All places of employment clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition
    • Workrooms clean & dry
    • Platforms, mats, or other dry standing places for wet processes
32. Slide 32

    Sanitation process is dangerous

33. Slide 33

    Aisles

    • Sufficient safe clearance maintained where mechanical handling equipment is used
    • Aisles and passageways kept clear and in good repairs
    • No obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard
34. Slide 34

    Tripping hazard on an elevated surface

35. Slide 35

    Aisles

36. Slide 36

    Floor Openings section

37. Slide 37

    Floor Openings

    • Every ladderway floor opening or platform shall be guarded by a standard railing with standard toeboard on all exposed sides (except at entrance to opening), with the passage through the railing either provided with a swinging gate or so offset that a person cannot walk directly into the opening.
38. Slide 38

    Floor Openings

    • Where operating conditions necessitate the feeding of material into any hatchway or chute opening, protection shall be provided to prevent a person from falling through the opening.
39. Slide 39

    Floor Openings

    • Every pit and trapdoor floor opening, infrequently used, guarded by a floor opening cover of standard strength and construction.
    • While the cover is not in place, the pit or trap opening constantly attended by someone or protected on all exposed sides by removable standard railings.
40. Slide 40

    Floor Openings

    • Every temporary floor
    • opening shall have
    • standard railings, or
    • shall be constantly
    • attended by someone.
41. Slide 41

    Floor grates and drain covers

42. Slide 42

    Floor Openings

    • Every floor hole into which persons can accidentally walk shall be guarded by either:
    • A standard railing with standard toeboard on all exposed sides, or
    • A floor hole cover of standard strength and construction. While the cover is not in place, the floor hole shall be constantly attended by someone or shall be protected by a removable standard railing.
    • Floor opening large enough to fall through
43. Slide 43

    Wall Openings section

44. Slide 44

    Open-sided Floors

    • Every open-sided floor or platform 4 feet or more guarded on all open sides except where there is entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder.
45. Slide 45

    Open-sided Floors

    • The railing shall be provided with a toeboard wherever, beneath the open sides,
    • Persons can pass,
    • There is moving machinery, or
    • There is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard
46. Slide 46

    Open-sided Floors

    • All open-sided floors, walkways, platforms, or runways above or adjacent to dangerous equipment, guarded with a standard railing and toe board
47. Slide 47

    Stairways

    • Every flight of stairs having with 3 or more treads and four or more risers shall be equipped with standard stair railings or standard handrails.
48. Slide 48

    Railings

    • A standard railing consists of top rail, intermediate rail, and posts
    • Have a vertical height of 42 inches (+/- 3”) nominal from upper surface of top rail to floor.
    • The top rail smooth-surfaced
    • The ends of the rails shall not constitute a projection hazard
49. Slide 49

    Railings

50. Slide 50

    Railings

    • Wood railings, posts at least 2 by 4
    • Posts < 6 feet
    • Rails, at least 2 by 4
    • Pipe railings at least 1 1/2 inches nominal diameter
    • Posts spaced not more than 8 feet on centers.
51. Slide 51

    Railings

    • For structural steel railings
    • Posts and top and intermediate rails 2 by 2 by 3/8 inch angles
    • Posts spaced not more than 8 feet on centers.
52. Slide 52

    Railings

    • The completed structure shall be
    • 200 lb.
    • capable of withstanding a load of at least 200 pounds applied in any direction at any point on the top rail.
53. Slide 53

    Railings

54. Slide 54

    Railings

    • Where material is piled to such height that a standard toeboard does not provide protection, paneling from floor to intermediate rail, or to top rail shall be provided.
55. Slide 55

    Fixed Stairs

    • Provided for regular travel between levels
    • Where equipment requires attention routinely
    • Fixed stairs provided where access to elevations is daily
    • For work around acids, caustics, gases, or other harmful substances
56. Slide 56

    Fixed Stairs

    • Fixed stairs minimum width of 22 inches
57. Slide 57

    Fixed Stairs

    • Stair treads." All treads shall be reasonably slip-resistant and the nosings shall be of nonslip finish.
    • Rise height and tread width shall be uniform throughout any flight of stairs including any foundation structure used as one or more treads of the stairs.
58. Slide 58

    Fixed Stairs

    • "Stairway platforms." Stairway platforms shall be no less than the width of a stairway and a minimum of 30 inches in length measured in the direction of travel.
59. Slide 59

    Fixed Stairs

    • "Railings and handrails." Standard railings shall be provided on the open sides of all exposed stairways and stair platforms.
    • Handrails shall be provided on at least one side of closed stairways preferably on the right side descending.
    • No handrail on stairs leading to machine pit
60. Slide 60

    Portable Ladders

    • Maintained in good conditions at all times
    • Locks, wheels, pulleys frequent lubrication
    • Worn rope replaced
    • Safety feet and auxiliary equipment in good shape
61. Slide 61

    Portable Ladders - Inspection

    • Ladders inspected frequently
    • Those with defects withdrawn from service for repair or destruction and tagged or marked as "Dangerous, Do Not Use."
62. Slide 62

    Portable Ladders

    • Ladders not placed in
    • front of doors opening
    • toward the ladder
    • unless the door is
    • blocked upon, locked, or
    • guarded;
63. Slide 63

    Portable Ladders

    • Tops or top step of the
    • ordinary types of
    • stepladders shall not be
    • used as steps
64. Slide 64

    Standing on the top of the ladder

65. Slide 65

    Trip Hazard

66. Slide 66

    Discussion Points

    • What are the primary hazards you experience related to slips, trips, and falls?
    • What types of injuries have you experienced?
    • What are some solutions you have implemented?
    • Engineering controls?
    • Work practices?
    • PPE issues