The most common injury in any industry is a slip, trip, or fall. Whether a fall occurs on the same level — or worse, from a higher level — any fall can cause significant injury, resulting in production downtime, reduced maintenance activity, loss or reduction of wages for the employee, loss of profit for the company, trips to doctors and specialists to get back to 100% capabilities, OSHA 300 log entries, and increases in insurance costs. The employer and the employee benefit from working together to prevent potential slips, trips, and falls.
CAUSES OF SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS
Let’s review some of the causes and how they can be mitigated or prevented.
Work Area
Keeping a clean work area goes a long way to preventing incidents. Ensure that trash receptacles are available and that employees use them on the job site. Employees should place them near where the work is being performed so they can dispose of things as they go. Stripped sheathing, scrap wire, wire nuts, and other detritus create a hazard.
Spills
Should a spill occur, stop what you are doing and clean it immediately. If necessary, place a barricade around the spill to prevent another employee from inadvertently walking in it. Some chemicals require specialized materials for their removal; for instance, oleophilic (oil-attracting) materials should be used when petrochemical products are spilled.
If a petrochemical spill during disposal is a certain quantity, is absorbed into the ground, or runs into a storm drain or a body of water, you may need to contact the state environmental office. It is important to be familiar with your state’s rules for spills before working with these chemicals. Clear walkways also ensure that employees have easy egress in case they need to evacuate in an emergency or if emergency rescue personnel need to enter the work zone.
Uneven Terrain
Walking outdoors presents a hazard. Uneven terrain, such as on a right-of-way or on rip rap used as a weed barrier, can contribute to slips and falls. Employees should use caution and wear appropriate footwear when working in these areas. Above-the-ankle boots with flat soles will help prevent sprained ankles. If an area sees freezing conditions, immediately clear snow and ice using shovels and an ice-melt product to prevent slips and falls. In some areas, choosing to supply traction footwear devices can mitigate potential slips.
Many commercial buildings have linoleum or vinyl flooring, which can become slippery when foot traffic brings in outside moisture due to rain. Use signage to indicate the floor may be slippery and use carpets to increase traction and capture surface moisture.
Raised and Uneven Surfaces
Walking surfaces that are 4 feet or more above a lower level — and even less over operating machinery or liquids — require top rails, mid rails, and toe boards that meet building code requirements. In a construction zone, those requirements are different, and the person erecting those temporary railings must know what materials to use and how to set them at the correct height. If railings are not used in construction zones that are 6 feet above a lower level, fall protection equipment must be used. All openings to the lower level should have a gate or be guarded. Floor holes must have a cover strong enough to support the weight of any vehicles, equipment, or personnel on that level and be marked HOLE or COVER. If a cover is not used, the hole must be barricaded with railings. Stairs should be uniform to prevent tripping, meet building code requirements, and be constructed with a handrail and/or railing on unprotected sides. Long runs may require landings and must meet building code requirements.
Ladders
Whether permanently affixed or temporary, ladders should always be clear of entanglements, and the rungs must remain clean and slip-free. They must be inspected daily before first use. Check ropes, rungs, and wear and tear; look for cracks, fading, worn feet, loose rivets, or general looseness. Never climb a ladder if any of these are found. Check boot soles before climbing any ladder.
Temporary ladders should be tied off at the top. If that is not possible, another individual must foot the ladder. An employee should never reach and should ensure their belt buckle moves to the outside of the ladder’s rails.
Ascending and descending ladders should be done using three points of contact: Two feet and one hand, or two hands and one foot, must be in contact with the ladder at all times. Carry tools up using a tool pouch or belt, or use a rope and bucket to hoist them up after you finish your climb.
Ladders must extend 3 feet above the upper level to provide a grab for employees to climb off or onto the ladder. Employees must never climb above the marked rung on a stepladder (usually the third from the top) or stand on the back bracing. Never exceed the weight rating on any ladder. Permanent ladders that have a cage and several landings along the climb require a harness and rope-grab fall-protection system.
Scaffolding
Scaffolding works well to temporarily elevate a working surface. They are far more convenient for long-term use than a ladder. However, they must be constructed by a qualified person, and daily inspection must be documented. Scaffolding must have top rails, mid rails, and toe boards on unprotected sides. Climbing them can be as hazardous as using a ladder, so the same rules apply.
Buckets and Baskets
Working in a bucket or basket adds many potential hazards. Bucket trucks, crane baskets, and mobile aerial work platforms (AWPs), also known as manlifts, are generally used to work at a greater height than those requiring scaffolds or ladders. These machines can be wobbly and sway, causing employee imbalance, and insects such as bees and hornets sometimes nest in elevated equipment, contributing to a fall.
Other hazards may increase the potential for falling from a raised platform. Electric shock and blast factors, as well as environmental conditions such as wind, rain, ice, snow, and vehicular traffic, can interact with the base of the machine.
In most buckets and baskets, you must wear fall protection at all times. A retractable lanyard is preferred to limit the distance the employee could fall. For example, if an employee falls from 10 feet above the ground but wears a regular lanyard that extends up to 6.5 feet, they would be fine. But what if the base of the machine is partially below the basket? The distance the employee could fall might be less than 6.5 feet, but a retractable lanyard would prevent the employee from falling onto the base of the equipment. Retractable lanyards are also more out of the way than standard lanyards and cannot dangle down into the leg area, potentially causing further tripping hazards.
CONCLUSION
Injuries are not fun, and they are costly. Employees don’t want to get hurt, and companies don’t want their employees to get hurt. Both parties can identify and mitigate areas where a potential injury could occur. Identifying and correcting areas where slips and falls could occur will prevent a large number of injuries annually.
Paul Chamberlain has been the Safety Manager for Asplundh Electrical Testing, LLC since 2009. He has been in the environmental health and safety field since 1998, working for various companies and in various industries. He received a BS from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.