 | | | | Don’t let complacency slip you up | 
Watch your step; pay attention to your surroundings; use ladders safely; follow warning signs; keep workspaces free of cords and clutter: these basic tenets of safety are so intuitive that you would think we know them by heart. But you would be surprised at how often impatience, distraction and complacency can override our better senses.
Slips, trips and falls are among the most common workplace injuries. In Fiscal Year 2019, slips, trips and falls caused more employee injuries than any other single category. The good news is slips, trips and falls are preventable.
Remember, Zero Is Possible: Zero Accidents, Zero Injuries, Zero Compromises. Watch this ZIP video and read these tips from the Occupational Safety Health Administration to prevent slips, trips and falls in your workplace and at home.
Slips, trips and falls
- Keep floors clean and dry. In addition to being a slip hazard, continually wet surfaces promote growth of mold, funci and bacteria.
- Provide warning signs for wet floor areas.
- Where wet processes are used, maintain drainage and provide false floors, platforms, mats and other dry standing places. Wear waterproof footgear.
- Keep aisles and passageways clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard.
- Do not run power cords across pathways. Temporary electrical cords should be taped or anchored to the floor.
- Keep exits free from obstruction. Access to exits must remain clear of obstructions at all times.
- Ensure spills are reported and cleaned up immediately. Use a lid on coffee and other beverage cups to prevent spills.
- Use slip-resistant footwear.
- Use no-skid waxes and surfaces coated with grit to create non-slip surfaces in slippery areas such as toilet and shower areas.
- Aisles and passageways should be sufficiently wide for easy movement and should be kept clear at all times.
- Watch your step on uneven floor surfaces.
- Use only properly maintained ladders to reach items. Do not use stools, chairs, or boxes as substitutes for ladders.
- Ensure a ladder is placed on a firm surface.
- When using a ladder, maintain at least three points of contact (two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand).
- Do not carry tools in your hands while climbing ladders. Use a tool belt.
- Repair or replace carpets that bulge, curl or have become bunched to prevent tripping hazards.
- Aisles and passageways should be sufficiently wide for easy movement and should be kept clear at all times.
- Eliminate cluttered or obstructed work areas.
- Use prudent housekeeping procedures such as cleaning only one side of a passageway at a time.
- Provide good lighting for all halls and stairwells. Use a flashlight. Report and replace nonfunctioning light bulbs.
- Use the handrail on stairs to avoid undue speed, and to maintain an unobstructed view of the stairs ahead of them even if that means requesting help to manage a bulky load.
- Be aware that alcohol or drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicine, can affect your balance and increase your risk of falling.
- Promote safe work in cramped spaces. Avoid awkward positions and use equipment that makes lifts less awkward.
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