Slips, trips, and falls are very common in workplaces. Some are avoidable with due diligence while others are just accidents that catch people unaware.
As a business owner, you’re mandated to protect everyone that comes in and out of your premises against slip and fall accidents. But how do you ensure that?
Here are five tips to help you out.
Understand the Potential Causes
Understanding what is causing slips, trips, and falls in your workplace should be your top priority. This should be the first step to take if you intend to reduce your workplace’s daily risk of accidents.
Ensure you identify all the danger zones and do the necessary to eliminate them. Some of the main causes you should be aware of include poor lighting, uneven floor surfaces, wet floors, and trailing cables.
Create Good Housekeeping and Maintenance Practices
Good housekeeping and safety go hand-in-hand in protecting you from workplace accidents. You’re exposing your employees to injuries if your establishment has poor housekeeping habits.
You also risk high insurance costs and or facing lawsuits if your facility has poor housekeeping habits.
A clean and organized organization is a clear indication that your safety program is effective. Hire good housekeepers to oversee day-to-day cleaning and ensure your facility is always in tiptop condition.
Also, assign responsibilities to your employees to clean up for themselves. And lastly, ensure your daily routine contains housekeeping procedures.
Keep the Floors Clean and Dry
Ensure you have a well-maintained floor because walking on slippery and wet surfaces can be dangerous. Floors can get wet from spills, leaks, and mud. As soon as you realize it, you should see to it that it’s dried immediately.
After mopping, your floor will be wet for some time, it’s important to put out a wet floor sign after cleaning to caution people walking around.
If your facility is exposed to outside water, ensure you place moisture-absorbent mats to keep your floor dry and check out these floor maintenance tips. You can also use anti-skid adhesive tape to provide additional traction on your slippery surfaces.
Get Rid of Obstacles in Aisles and Walkways
Anything that’s on the floor is a trip hazard. Leaving equipment, work materials, and daily clutter on the floor is unacceptable. These materials can become obstacles in your floors, doorways, around the corners, and stairways.
Often check areas to ensure your floor is free from clutter. Encourage people to pick after themselves and not litter.
Implement clean-up procedures to clean and declutter all the walkways in your facility. Ensure all work areas, storerooms and passageways are clear. Conduct periodic inspections for any potential hazards.
Put on Proper Shoes
The shoes you wear to work play an integral role in preventing falls. Make sure you evaluate your soles’ slickness and the type of heels you wear to avoid slips, trips, and falls.
Don’t forget to tie your shoelaces correctly. Wear the right shoes for your working environment. You can avoid slippery shoes by scuffing the soles before using them.
Rub the soles on concrete to see if they are slip-resistant.
