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| Workplace Slips Cost $12 Billion a Year |
A worker is five times more likely to suffer serious injuries due to a slip or fall than to be badly hurt in a work-related highway accident, reports Liberty Mutual.
While five percent of serious work-related injuries occur in highway accidents, 25 percent of work-related injuries are linked to slip and fall accidents inside businesses of all kinds, at an estimated $12 billion cost each year.
Generally, the main causes of slips, trips and falls in the workplace are:
- Poor housekeeping, such as scrap on floors, spilled liquids and equipment cluttering the aisles,
- Dangerous surface conditions, such as broken or cracked surfaces, protruding nails, different elevations that are unmarked, torn carpets, loose or curled mats and slippery finishes,
- Insufficient lighting, including dim or incorrect lighting, glare or lights that flicker or "strobe" and cause perception difficulties.
- Inattention to tasks, which can be caused by horseplay, fatigue or personal problems,
- Improper footwear, including shoes not properly fastened, are too big, too small, have slippery soles or oversized heels.
Encourage everyone on your job site or work area to look for and correct possible slipping or tripping hazards. Here are 6 quick and simple tips to follow:
- If you drop something, pick it up.
- If you spill something, clean it up.
- Ensure the aisles are clear of obstructions.
- Keep all floors as clean as possible.
- Place cleaning equipment in areas where everyone can find it.
- Properly barricade any hazardous areas, such as construction zones.
Need some help planning a safety meeting on slips, trips and falls? Here are seven tips to help you with your presentation. (Subscription to SafetySmart Online is required to access this page.)
Want to Try SafetySmart Online? Request a Free Demo |
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| A 13-story building under construction in Shanghai, China, collapsed, but miraculously, only one worker died. An underground garage was being dug on one side of the building and the dirt from the excavation was piled on the other side, creating uneven lateral pressures. That situation, in combination with heavy rain that seeped into the ground, caused the building to topple. (Reuters photo) |
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| Coffee Spill Stirs Up Hijacking Alert |
Spilling a cup of coffee usually results in little more than a dash for paper towels and possibly some cursing, but it led to a hijacking alert and an emergency landing for an international United Airlines flight.
During the early stages of a flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, a pilot accidentally spilled coffee on the Boeing 777’s radio equipment. The spill caused distress signals to emanate from the plane, including one indicating that the flight had been hijacked.
United Airlines dispatchers soon determined that the jet had not been hijacked, but the flight crew reported having some navigation problems as a result of the spill and the airplane was diverted to Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
The 241 passengers and 14 crew members were flown back to Chicago and the flight to Germany resumed the next day. |
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| Join the online community of safety professionals |
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| Choose from over 1000+ posters on over 50 safety topics |
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| Take advantage of sophisticated and easy-to-use training resources. |
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| Download hundreds of individual safety talks. |
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