Falling can be a very serious thing. Most slips and trips in the workplace are caused by things like poor lighting, unsuitable floor coverings, trailing cables, uneven or damaged floor surfaces and contaminated floor surfaces.

As a matter of fact, slipping and tripping are listed as two of the most common reasons of injuries at work.

At Alsco, experts in the field of work safety work hard to find the best way to prevent this type of incidents.

Ratings show that people suffer millions of work-related injuries every year, and the three occupational groups that are at risk are Personal Services workers, Labourers Machinery Operators and Drivers, and Community.

What is most interesting is that, around 15% of workers who get injured at work, suffer their injury as a result of falling at the same level, a category that includes slipping and tripping.

So, what kind of measures can be taken in order to prevent these accidents, if not stop them completely? It turns out that for both slipping and tripping there are plenty of actions to be taken in order to achieve this goal.

We have put up two short lists for you to check out.

4 Easy Ways To Deal With Tripping

  • Where flooring type changes suddenly (like concrete to carpeting), ensure the levels are evenly matched. With carpets or tiling, make sure the edges are secured to prevent dog-earing or warping.Keep working areas, aisles and corridors clear of items so there is nothing to trip over. Provide separate storage areas for boxes, tools and equipment. Ensure cabling is neatly tucked way. Carry out clean-ups regularly.
  • Keep your workers aware. Many people trip when they are not paying attention or are distracted. So, use visual aids in high risk areas (storeroom), on stairs and remind your staff to do their part.
  • Reduce the need for cabling by installing extra power sockets in more convenient places. Where cabling must cross traffic routes, place them overhead rather than across the floor.
  • Keep the floor surface as consistent as possible, so cover floor power sockets, remove ridges and flatten inclines (if possible).

5 Easy Ways To Deal With Slipping

  • Make sure you eliminate the risk of leakage by regularly servicing any machinery. A good idea would be to add containers to capture any condensation and spills.
  • Understand the need to invest in special work area matting. These special mats are designed so they absorb any spillage that way keeping the workers who stand on them safe from slipping.
  • Water absorbent floor mats should be used at all entrance areas because they are designed to handle large volumes of traffic and can be easily laundered and replaced by your supply company. They will do miracles in terms of overall safety and cleanliness of your company’s premises.
  • Easy access to cleaning-up equipment is advisable. These include mops, cloths, absorbent paper for oil substances, and portable ‘Caution’ signs.
  • Wet umbrellas and overcoats should be kept in specially designated areas. By keeping them close to the entrance, you minimize the chances of the wet areas being created.

Additional Activities

Obviously, not even following all the steps listed above can completely eliminate the possibility that people will slip or trip. Accidents of this type can happen in the safest of environments, since it is not realistic to expect that we can deal with every single scenario in which accidents can take place.

Still, if you want to do even more than what is suggested in the list above, you should consider making changes to working procedures that will result in even more safety for your workers. Keep in mind that this is not a simple task. It is time consuming and you will probably have to put one of your workers in charge of keeping track of the progress and monitor the execution instead of you.

Alsco’s wide range of product for business users includes a wide range of safety mats which are found to be very helpful in reducing the risk of slip or trip related injury. If you strategically place them in areas of the building where they are most necessary, these mats will prevent accident and protect flooring at the same time. You can give Alsco mats a try and see for yourself how useful they can be!