6 Workplace Safety Tips to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

Running a business is not easy. There are many matters to look over, such as company finances, worker’s insurance, and taxation. However, another crucial matter to keep in mind is employee safety. No matter what kind of work you conduct, your workers can get into nasty accidents. 

For example, a floor is wet, but the cleaners forgot to put up a sign. It will lead to many workers slipping and falling, which eventually causes trouble for your firm. Due to a lack of workforce, you might fall behind on deadlines. Without safety precautions, your employees and your work both suffer. 

So consider implementing safety precautions to ensure that nothing untoward occurs. Since dozens of people come to work for you, keeping the safe is your duty. The following safety tips will help you prevent office injuries. 

1. Keep Walking and Working Areas Clutter-free 

Employees and employers need to understand that a workplace incident can occur at any hour and for any reason. These accidents will either lead to massive injuries or death.

So train your employees to clean after themselves. It includes teaching them to avoid littering in the space they work and to keep high traffic areas clear at all times. Ask them to keep their work limited to the workstation. Furthermore, avoid putting cords and heavy equipment in pathways. It could result in people tripping and injuring themselves. 

The best way to teach your employees is by conducting safety courses or hiring people from a safety training company to manage matters at your firm. Once your premises are safe, you will be at lesser risk. 

2. Take Notice of Wet or Slippery Surfaces 

Slippery and wet surfaces result in a majority of slip and fall accidents. Thus, take preventive measures for it. Make sure there is no standing water in parking lots, sidewalks, office floors, and toilets.

If a floor is wet or slippery, have proper signage placed over it so that people are careful while walking around it. Moreover, if someone accidentally spilled something on the floor, have it immediately cleared. 

You could even mark the anti-slip surfaces. These will be safe routes and likely to be taken by every individual. Being the person in charge of the premises, you have to assign responsibilities to people. It is the only way to prevent mishaps.

3. Identify Hazard Zones in Time 

No matter how secure you make your premises, there will always be some safety hazards. The best way to tackle the problem is by identifying those problems. You can prevent numerous incidents by identifying and marking these potentially dangerous zones. 

Uneven grounds, curbs, and elevated areas are all the places that need to be marked. You could use bright paint or massive sign boards to make employees aware of the issue. 

4. Avoid Dim Lighting 

Dim lighting is another reason for several accidents. You might not have seen a step due to poor lighting and fall on your face. Similarly, you won’t be able to spot puddles and slippery surfaces due to inadequate lighting. 

The solution to all of these problems is keeping your office space well lit. Illuminate staircases, hallways, basements, and construction sites. Also, keep switches near doors or at accessible points.

Ask your employees to turn on the lighting before entering a room so they don’t trip over anything. In case an area doesn’t have proper lighting, keep it off limits till new lights are not installed or avoid cluttering it with equipment. 

5. Take Precautions in Extreme Weather Conditions 

Weather conditions such as hail, rain, or snowstorms can increase the chances of accidents. Thus, come up with strategies to minimize the effects of such extreme conditions. Putt mats in front of doors so that people don’t bring wet shoes into the building. 

Another good strategy is to place salt on zones with ice. Parking lots are the best places to implement this plan. The sooner you take action, the lesser the number of injured employees. 

6. Ask Employees to Wear Appropriate Footwear 

Footwear plays a crucial role in slip and fall accidents. Not wearing appropriate shoes is an issue and might result in an unwanted accident. So take notice of your footwear. Encourage people on your premises to wear proper shoes. 

Some individuals like to wear slippers or open shoes, which is not an ideal choice. Similarly, a woman likes wearing heels, but it isn’t the best option for your work environment. When choosing a shoe, make sure it’s comfortable, has a good grip, and the sole isn’t slippery. Try to go with rubber soles as they prevent falls. 

Since you work on the premises, you are a better judge of which footwear will suit it. No matter what your choice might be, make sure it offers protection. Before stepping into the office, do wipe your footwear on a rug. It keeps water out and increases friction between the surface and the shoe.