Walking and Working Surfaces

According to OSHA statistics, slips, trips, and falls are considered to be the second most common cause of lost work time injuries. 15% of accidental deaths on the jobsite are caused by a slip, trip, or fall. Same level walking surfaces contribute to 65% of fall related injuries. Of those that fall from an elevation, over 60% of those that resulted in injury were from a height of 10 feet or less. Traumatic brain injuries are most commonly caused by a slip and fall accident. It is important to maintain a dry, clean, and clear walking surface to minimize the chance of a slip, trip, or fall from occurring.

Some examples of walking and working surfaces include: Stairways, ladders, floors, ramps, aisle ways, platforms, and roofs.

Things you can do to help prevent the chances of a slip, trip, or fall are:
1.Pay attention. Do not walk and talk on your cell phone or carry objects that may restrict your ability to see hazards in your path.
2.Use caution when walking on surfaces that may be slippery due to weather conditions or wet floors. Wear proper footwear that has good traction.
3.Avoid placing items in the path of walk ways such as cords or boxes to prevent a trip hazard.
4.Properly mark and barricade open holes or any other possible surface hazards, do not walk on surfaces marked ‘OPEN HOLE’.
5.Use hand rails when ascending or descending stairs, report snow or ice accumulation on stairways and sidewalks.