Slip, trip, and fall hazards are everywhere in the workplace. Regardless of job function, most people are exposed to these risks on a daily basis. It is important to recognize the hazards around you even if your job doesn’t require going 15 feet in the air on a lift or climbing and descending ladders. Serious injuries can happen because of things we least expect.

During the last four years, slips, trips, and falls have accounted for 38 percent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recordable injuries at Drake; however, in the last two years, that has gone up to 46 percent. During this time, these incidents have resulted in 71 lost work days and 125 restricted work days.

If you were to take a look around your work area or areas you frequent during the day chances are you would find multiple slip, trip, or fall perils. Some of the most common causes of these accidents are:

• Wet or slippery working surfaces
• Climbing or descending stairs
• Walking while carrying objects that obstruct your view
• Keeping a cluttered work area
• Not paying attention or lack of focus

It is important to eliminate or minimize the slip, trip, and fall hazards in the workplace to prevent injuries from happening. Some general guidelines to help reduce the risk of injuries are:

• Keep work areas clean and organized: Books, bags, and other items left lying around create trip hazards not only for the person whose items they are but for others as well. Maintaining clear walkways and aisles can significantly reduce trip hazards in the workplace. It is also important to clean up spills as soon as possible to help prevent slippery surfaces.
• Use hand rails when climbing or descending stairs: Using stairs is a common part of most of our work days but it only takes one trip to cause a serious injury.
• Pay attention to warning signs: Wet floor signs, safety cones, and caution tape are just a few of the common ways to alert people to hazards, and these signs should be taken seriously.
• Use the proper equipment: Whether you need to prop open a door or grab something off a tall shelf it is important to use the proper equipment for the job. Using trash cans, rugs, or chairs to prop open doors creates trip and fall hazards and utilizing anything other than a sturdy step stool to reach an elevated area creates a serious fall hazard. Using what we have readily available seems like a time saver, but if it is not the right equipment for the job it puts you at risk for injury.
• Maintain adequate lighting: Keeping the work area well lit can help prevent people from tripping, slipping, or falling; it is hard to avoid a hazard that you cannot see. Report any lighting issues to a superior or contact Facilities Services to get the issue resolved.

Following these guidelines can help reduce the slip, trip, and fall hazards that we all face every day. However, these recommendations are not a comprehensive list of all the ways to reduce these problems in the workplace, and the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Department encourages everyone to actively seek ways to make the workplace safer.

We would also like to emphasize that certain jobs require special training and certifications, and only those employees with the proper qualifications should attempt to perform jobs that require them to operate aerial lifts or work on elevated surfaces. If you have any questions or concerns about workplace safety please feel free to contact EHS.

—Submitted by EHS