Slips, trips, and falls

By Jaysen Lockett

It’s probably happened to most of us. That momentary lapse of inattention thinking about a personal problem or distracted by an activity that ends in a slip, trip, or fall. It can lead to a variety of regrettable events ranging from a simple bruised shin to an extremely serious injury.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, slips, trips, and falls make up most general industry accidents, which account for:

15% of all accidental deaths per year (the second-leading cause behind motor vehicles)

About 25% of all reported injury claims per fiscal year

Over 95 million lost workdays per year – about 65% of all workdays lost

In general, slips and trips occur due to a loss of traction between the shoe and the walking surface or an inadvertent contact with a fixed or move-able object which may lead to a fall. There are a variety of situations that may cause slips, trips, and falls.

Below are some common causes of incidents that occur at YPG:

Here are some solutions to prevention for the common incidents that occur at YPG:

Clean work areas throughout the day and at the end of day

Submit services orders for burnt out bulbs

Identify lack of safety signs and submit service orders

Clean spills immediately

Inspect ladders/stairs

Inspect handrails daily

Request handrails where needed Like driving, do not texting while walking

Create a culture where reporting potential accidents is a common practice

Use a checklist to create a culture where slips, trips and falls can be corrected before incidents occur.