Have a Nice Trip, See You Next Fall!

Did you know that Slip, Trip, and Falls are continuously one of the most reported occupational injuries? They are the League’s second most reported cause of injury among our members, and can result in injuries ranging from strains and sprains from landing in an awkward position to dislocations and fractures from landing on a hard surface such as ice or concrete. Today we’re going to focus primarily on the slip and fall hazards presented by snow and ice.

Living in a colder climate like we do, the snow and ice can significantly increase the risk of slip and fall injuries. Employees often need to walk on icy walkways to perform tasks such as checking a water meter, moving a garbage bin, or delivering a notification to a resident. Not all walkways are controlled by the city and probably would not have been treated for snow and ice removal the same way a city trail or sidewalk would have been, so what can a city do to protect its employees from these dangerous injuries? One thing we have seen many of our members use to reduce the risk with great success is provide employees performing these types of duties ice tread attachments for their boots such as those pictured below. You should still be cautious when walking on potentially icy surfaces, but these can provide some much-needed traction and reduce the odds of a slip.

Another common place where we see snow and ice related slip and falls is pathways into and out of buildings. We regularly see incidents where employees slip on ice and are injured walking from the parking lot into the building. It is an employer’s responsibility to provide employees with a safe, hazard free, pathway into and out of the workplace, so care should be taken to ensure that the parking lots and sidewalks in front of city buildings are plowed and de-iced.

Entryways inside of buildings can also become slick and wet as snow is tracked in, creating a separate slip and fall hazard. To protect from this, make sure excess water is mopped up whenever possible, and consider putting up a “wet floor” sign as warning. Lastly consider putting down mats where people can wipe their feet, but make sure that are laid flat and secured so as to not create a new tripping hazard.

Other things you can do in your shop to prevent the risk of slips, trips, and falls is to use fall protection when working from heights, and using good housekeeping around your shop. Good housekeeping includes things like promptly cleaning up spills and ensuring that all tools and equipment are put away in a safe location, leaving walkways clear. We will discuss housekeeping further in a future blog.

Be safe and watch where you step!

 

By: Cody Tuttle