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SLIP, TRIP and FALL STATISTICS According to Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA), most gen-
eral industry incidents involve slips, trips, and falls. They
cause 15% of all acci-
dental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause
of fatalities.
A National Safety Council 2013 reports showed “falls from the
same level” and
“falls to lower level” were the second and third highest injury
causes of disabling
workplace injuries costing employers over $13 billion.
During the 2017-2018 Washington Food Industry Association Retro
Plan year there were 160 slip, trip or fall (STOF) injuries that
impacted employees. The ma-jority of (STOF) injuries were the
results of slipping on wet floor surfaces, house-keeping issues and
falls on same level. STOF injuries on average cost WFIA members
over $5,000 per claim. This does not include the indirect impact
claims have on business which include, increased insurance
premiums, employee morale, decrease production and compliance
citations.
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What are the causes of slips, trips and falls in the workplace?
Slips can occur when floors or other working surfaces become
slippery due to wet or oily processes. This includes floor
cleaning, leaks, or from produce/meat and de-bris being left in
walkways. In addition poor shoe traction or spill procedures can
have additional impacts on the outcome of workplace slips and
falls. Uneven floor or working surfaces can lead to trips. This may
include protruding nails and boards, bunched floor mats or uneven
carpeting, holes or depressions in working surfaces, and also
step-risers on stairs that are not uniform in height. Both slips
and trips can result in falls, which can occur when ladders are not
main-tained properly, and when stairways and elevated working
surfaces are not de-signed properly.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WFIA has created the Slip, Trip and Fall
Manual as a resource for employers to use to post and remind
employees of safe work practices and to prevent injuries due to
slip, trip and falls. In addition, at the end of this manual there
are icons that are hyperlinked to additional slip, trip or fall
resources.
CAUSES OF SLIP, TRIP or FALLS
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PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS
TIPS: • Clean up spills and wet areas immediately • Use proper
signage to warn others of wet surfaces while
mopping • Use caution in areas where wet floors are likely
WET FLOORS
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PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS
TIPS: • Tape down and secure cords in traffic areas • Do not
allow electrical cords to extend across a walkway • Tie up any
dangling cords that might pose a trip hazard
CORDS
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PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS
TIPS: • Tread and floor surfaces leading to the stairway should
be slip-resistant • Keep stairs free of slipping hazards such as
ice, grease and water • Post signs calling attention to stairways •
Keep stairways free of clutter and tripping hazards • Replace
broken lighting to ensure adequate visibility • Handrails should be
provided to support balance
STAIRS
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PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS
TIPS: • Inspect ladder before each use • Make sure ladder’s feet
are in good condition and have slip-
resistant pads • When climbing ladder, use three points of
contact at all times • Avoid setting ladders near exits or doorways
• Keep shoes free of debris and wet conditions
LADDERS
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PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS
TIPS: • Paint curbs, islands, ramps, wheel stops and other
elevation changes a contrasting
color with slip resistant paint • Ensure drain covers and
utility grates are flush with walking surfaces • Walkways,
stairways and ramps should be completely cleared of snow and ice •
Pay attention to north facing sides of buildings which receive less
sunlight and tend
to stay frozen longer • Encourage employees to wear slip
resistant footwear to reduce the likelihood of slip-
ping.
PARKING LOT & GROUNDS
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Slip, Trip or Fall Products Click on the icons below for
additional resources
https://heattrak.com/https://www.risklimiter.com/http://www.surfacesolutionsusa.com/https://www.uline.com/Cls_36/Mats?pricode=WG651&AdKeyword=mats&AdMatchtype=p&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0PmDmtfx2wIVBwZpCh0_lwIAEAAYAyAAEgLrkfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.dshttps://www.slipnot.com/https://www.newpig.com/absorbent-mats-pads/c/100?pmedium=cpc&pcampaign=google_brand_pig_mat-1010&padgroup=pig_mat&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyJ6E_9fx2wIVBrbACh3N0AzNEAAYASAAEgJCBvD_BwEhttp://www.griprock.com/default.htmhttps://www.srmax.com/http://www.dynamicresearchcompany.com/products/traction/https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/search/?Ntt=slip+resistant+tapehttps://www.shoesforcrews.com/https://www.safetysign.com/watch-your-step-signs
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Slip, Trip or Fall Training and Resources
Click on the icons below for additional resources
https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/safety-topics/slips-trips-fallshttps://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/SlipsTripsFallsSameElevation/training.asphttps://www.osha.gov/SLTC/youth/restaurant/hazards_slips.htmlhttps://www.training.dupont.com/resources/video-clips/slips-trips-falls-training-videohttps://www.americanladderinstitute.org/https://nfsi.org/https://www.worksafebc.com/en/health-safety/hazards-exposures/slips-trips-fallshttps://safety.grainger.com/people/6-tips-help-prevent-slips-trips-and-fallshttps://www.assp.org/contact
