Preventing Hazards in the Workplace: Slips, Trips, and Falls

2 people per Day?

One of the most common hazards in the workplace is not perceived as a serious hazard by workers. How many times have you walked by a small puddle of liquid and causally thought to yourself, “the janitorial staff will clean it up.” The truth of the matter is, that small puddle can cause serious harm, injury, or death. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, slips, trips, and falls cause approximately 700 fatalities or deaths per year. That means approximately 2 people a day die from this hazard.

The nature of the work:

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing presents a unique set of challenges regarding slips, trips, and falls. Due to the nature of the work, the cleanroom must be regularly sanitized at specific time intervals to prevent bacterial and foreign matter contamination of medical products. In addition, the floor must remain damp for a minimum time period to effectively eliminate bacteria and sanitize the floor. A cleanroom floor is typically made of specialized material to reduce contamination which results in a non-porous floor making small spills widespread… Imagine falling an a hard surface akin to a quartz countertop.

Awareness and Prevention:

To prevent safety injuries, scan the area for potential hazards, be aware of surroundings, and wet floor signs. If you see standing water, clean it up and make sure you inform management to address excessive use of sanitization solution. If the floor remains visibly damp longer than minimum contact time used to effectively sanitize the area; simply mop it up or inform someone to dry mop the area. A visible schedule of sanitization times can be posted to inform personnel of the wet floor. Next time you see a spill or slip hazard, remember people can get seriously injured from a fall.

Falls in the workplace are 100% preventable.