Slips, Trips, and Falls

Fall Factors

• Friction

• Momentum

• Gravity

1a

What happens when you slip• Loss of balance

caused by too little friction

• Loss of traction

• Wet surfaces

• Spills

2a

What happens when you slip• Weather hazards• Potential

solutions• practice safe walking skills• clean up spills• keep grease off shop floors• be cautious on smooth surfaces

2b

Preventing slips

• Use appropriate footwear

• Increase friction between shoes and walking surface

3a

Preventing slips• Strap-on cleats

• Proper footwear selection

3b

Why trips occur• When a person trips:

• worker’s foot hits an object• balance is thrown off• creates momentum to fall

4a

Why trips occur

• Cluttered work areas

• Poor lighting

• Area has loose footing

4b

Why trips occur

• Worker is in a hurry

• Worker is inattentive

4c

Preventing trips

• Ensure you can see over the load you are carrying

• Ensure adequate lighting

• Keep work areas free of clutter/litter

5a

Preventing trips

• Keep furniture out of walkways/traffic areas

• Tape down extension cords/keep out of walkways

5b

Preventing trips

• Eliminate loose footing on stairs, steps, floors

• Properly store ramps and gangplanks in loading dock areas

5c

Why falls occur

• Person moves too far away from center of balance

• Caused by:• makeshift ladders• misuse of ladders• poor climbing habits• improper scaffolding

use

6a

Preventing falls

• Don’t jump from elevations• docks• trucks• work stages

• Ensure adequate lighting

6b

Preventing falls

• Repair or report loose or broken stairs, handrails

• Don’t use stairs/aisles as storage areas

• Wear appropriate footwear

6c

Prevent injury on stairs

• Use handrails whenever possible

• Walk up and down stairs; don’t run

• Ensure you can see over the load you are carrying

7a

Prevent injury on stairs

• Report unsafe conditions, including broken:• stair treads• floor boards• handrails

7b

Ladder and scaffold safety

• Don’t use makeshift ladders• piling up boxes, chairs,

benches

• Inspect ladders before use• missing or broken

rungs

8a

Ladder and scaffold safety

• Face the ladder when climbing

• Use both hands on ladders

• Hoist materials up to you

8b

Ladder and scaffold safety

• Keep your center of balance on ladder

• Adjust position of ladder - don’t overreach

• Use the four-to-one rule• for every foot up, have

3 inches (1/4 foot) out

8c

Ladder and scaffold safety

• One person at a time on a ladder

• Don’t stand on top step of ladder

• Stay away from ladders to avoid falling objects

8d

Ladder and scaffold safety

• Check scaffolding daily for defects

• Clear work surfaces of snow, ice, slippery material

8e

Ladder and scaffold safety

• Respect the load limits of scaffolds

• Lock wheels/casters on mobile scaffolding

• Use proper PPE

8f

Summary of main points

• Fall factors

• Why slips occur

• Why trips occur

9a

Summary of main points

• Why falls occur

• Hazards of stairs

• Ladder and scaffold safety

9b

Fall Protection

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Slips, Trips and Falls Test