Slips, trips, and falls are a major cause of workplace injuries. They can result from hazards like wet or cluttered floors, poor lighting, or uneven walking surfaces. Common injuries include sprains, strains, fractures and head injuries. Both employees and employers incur costs such as lost work time, medical expenses, and lost productivity. Proper housekeeping, wearing slip-resistant shoes, and following ladder safety procedures can help prevent these incidents. OSHA regulations require that all areas be kept clean, dry, well-lit and free of obstructions to reduce slip, trip and fall risks.

1. Slips, Trips, and Falls
Prevention

2. Now what could go wrong here?????

3. • A teacher falls as he walks to the
blackboard and a students asks,
“Have a good trip?”
• The jokes are familiar, but slips are no
laughing matter. They take a heavy
toll on the number of workplace
injuries and lost workdays.
It’s No Laughing Matter
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls to the
same level are one of the most common causes of injuries
on the job.

4. Slips-Trips-Falls (STF)
• Can occur in any part of the workplace whether
inside or outside.
• May result in serious injuries
• Significant cost to both the worker and employer
Impact To Worker: Impact To Employer:
• Pain
• Lost wages
• Temporary or permanent disability
• Reduced quality of life
• Depression
• Lost productivity
• Costs of replacement employee
• Cost of medical treatment

5. Definitions of Slips, Trips & Falls
STF Friction: The resistance encountered when an object (foot) is moved in contact with another (ground).
Friction is necessary in order to walk without slipping.
When your foot (or lower
leg) hits an object and your
upper body continues
moving, throwing you off
balance.
When you are too far off
your center of balance.
When you step down
unexpectedly to a lower surface
(Misstep) and lose your balance,
e.g., stepping off a curb.
When there is too little friction
or traction between your feet
(footwear) and the walking or
working surface, and you lose
your balance.
Slip Trip
Fall

6. Common types of Slips, Trips &
Falls Injuries:
• Sprains & strains
• Bruises & contusions
• Fractures
• Abrasions & lacerations

7. Commonly affected Body Parts:
• Knee, Ankle, Foot
• Wrist, Elbow
• Back
• Shoulder
• Hip
• Head

8. What causes slips, trips and falls?
• Slips can occur when floors or other working surfaces
become slippery due to wet or oily processes, floor
cleaning, leaks, or from materials and debris left in
walkways.
• Trips can occur due to uneven floor or working surfaces,
protruding nails and boards, from stretched carpet or
bunched floor mats intended to prevent slipping, from
holes or depressions in working surfaces, and from step-
risers on stairs that are not uniform in height.
• Both slips and trips can result in falls. In addition, falls can
occur when ladders are not maintained properly, and when
stairways and elevated working surfaces are not designed
properly.

9. Many Could Have Been Prevented
• According to the U. S. Department of Labor,
slips, trips, and falls make up the majority of
general industry accidents.
• 8.6 million visits to the emergency room each
year in the U.S. are attributed to falls
• In Fiscal Year 2011-12, approximately 1400
employee workers’ compensation claims were
attributed to slips, trips or falls which cost
nearly $10 million

10. • The incidence of slips, trips and falls at work
may be even higher than the numbers
show.
• Many workers do not report incidents
because they may be minor and make them
appear clumsy. This is a mistake.
• Minor incidents that are reported may be
clues to troublesome areas needing repairs,
and may help prevent a major incident from
occurring.
Report and Investigate

11. Factors Increasing the Risk
Clutter
Not Paying Attention
Look familiar??

12. Safety Reminders
Supervisors should stress these
simple safety reminders:
• If you drop it, pick it up.
• If you spill it, wipe it up.
• Go where you are looking, and
look where you are going.

13. Take Control of Your Environment
To further reduce the risk of falls, employees should ensure that:
• Aisles are clear
• Floors are clean
• Signs are present to warn of slippery areas
• They wear shoes with good support and slip resistant soles
• Cabinets and drawers are closed
• Guests get the assistance they need
• Never stand on a chair, table or surface
with wheels

14. OSHA Regulations
General Requirements
• Housekeeping
– Workplaces shall be kept clean, orderly, and sanitary.
– Workroom floors shall be maintained as clean and dry as
possible.
– Every floor, working
place and passageway
shall be kept free from
protruding nails, splinters,
holes, or loose boards.
§1910.22(a)

15. Housekeeping
• Close file cabinet or storage drawers
• Report cables/wires that cross walkway
• Keep working areas and walkways well lit
and clear
• Report burned out bulbs
• Be aware of your surroundings and
correct any perceived hazard

16. Housekeeping DON’Ts…………
DON’T
• Prop fire doors open.
• Store materials in stairwells.
• Store trash cans in front of
doorway.
• Use chair to block an
emergency cut-off valve.
• Place chairs in dangerous
areas. For example, the chair
in the picture could
represent a struck against
hazard.
DO………
CORRECT or REPORT these
HAZARDS!

17. • Aisles and passageways
– Aisles and passageways shall be kept clear and in good
repair.
– Permanent aisles and passageways shall be marked.
– Where mechanical handling equipment is used, aisles,
loading docks, and doorways shall maintain sufficient safe
clearances.
OSHA General Requirements
§1910.22(b)

18. Sidewalks and Crosswalks
Report these dangers

19. Slips on Ice
• Snow and ice are not
common in Los Angeles
but it does happen
occasionally.
• Be aware of slippery
areas surfaces outdoors
in parking lots and
walkways

20. Slips on Ice
• Use appropriate footwear - In icy weather, ladies should leave
the heels at home. Ideally, wear boots or shoes with a good
grip and strong soles. Shoes with built-in support at the ankles
will protect you from potential ankle injuries should you fall.
• Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles; use the
vehicle for support.
• Walk in designated walkways as much as possible. Taking
shortcuts over snow piles and other frozen areas can be
hazardous.
• Look ahead when you walk; a snow- or ice covered sidewalk
or driveway, may require travel along its grassy edge for
traction.

21. Slip, Trip and Fall Hazard
PROBLEM:
Slip: if it is wet outside
and the mat is folded back,
then the floor is getting wet
instead of the mat
absorbing the water.
Trip: the mat is folded
back and someone could
catch their foot on the mat
and trip.
Fall: both a wet floor and
caught foot could contribute
to a fall.
CORRECT this HAZARD!

22. Working Safely on Ladders
• Choose the appropriate ladder
for the job
• Place the base on a firm, solid
surface
• Face the ladder and grip the
rungs, not the side rails when
you climb
• Always keep 3 points of contact
with the ladder
(2 hands, 1 foot or 2 feet, 1 hand)

23. The Don’t of Ladders Safety
• Do not climb with tools in hand
• Do not lean or overreach. Reposition the ladder closer to
the work instead.
• Do not step on the top rung

24. Resources
• Office of Environmental Health and Safety
http://www.lausd-oehs.org or Phone 213-241-3199
• American National Standards Institute
http://www.ansi.org/
• OSHA
http://www.osha.gov
• NIOSH
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html