Slip, Trip & Fall Hazards: Facility Safety Tips

Slips and falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits in the United States – more than 8 million visits per year. Facility trip and fall hazards are a significant concern. Slips and falls are also the leading cause of workers’ compensation claims with compensation and medical costs at approximately $70 billion annually. (Center for Disease Control; National Safety Council)

With so much risk, it’s important to take action to protect your employees and customers against slips and falls at your facility.

Slips, Trips, and Falls – What’s the Difference?

Slips and trips both lead to falls but there is a difference.

• A slip occurs when you experience a loss of balance on a walking surface.
• A trip occurs when there’s a hazard in or on the surface to cause your upper body to move forward while your lower body stops.

What causes slips?

• Snow, mud, ice, water on a smooth floor
• Grease, oil, or food spill
• Newly polished surfaces
• Sloped walking surfaces

What causes trips?

• Obstacles or clutter on walking surfaces (cords, hoses, etc.)
• Unmarked steps or ramps
• Floor mats or carpets that have curled or rumpled
• Large cracks or uneven surfaces on the floor

OSHA defines a trip hazard as any change in floor level that is ¼” or greater constitutes a tripping hazard. For context, ¼” is roughly the size of a Tic-Tac or a width of corrugated cardboard.

How to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

According to the National Floor Safety Institute, 50% of slips and falls are caused by walkway surfaces. Let’s review some of these surfaces and best practices to prevent incidents.

Exterior Surfaces: Sidewalks, Ramps, Curbs, Steps

Take a close look at the exterior walkways surrounding your facility. These areas are more difficult to maintain because they are subjected to weather, salt treatments, vehicle hazards, and more.

• Sidewalks. Watch for lifted slabs, pitted concrete, significant cracks, and other damage – keep in mind that ¼” difference is considered an OSHA trip hazard.
• Curbs. Use bright colors on curbs to make the surface change highly visible. Don’t allow snow or ice to accumulate on the curb.
• Ramps. Install handrails and follow your local code for proper slope of all ramps.
• Steps or Stairs. Handrails and anti-slip textures can reduce falls on steps. Keep stairs clean and dry and use a snow-melt chemical during the winter. High visibility colors can also be used on steps.

Interior Surfaces: Thresholds, Mats, Floors

Inspect all walkways within your facility, especially high traffic areas. Frequent cleaning and de-cluttering on all surfaces will help reduce fall risk.

• Thresholds. A common trip hazard is the threshold into your facility. Make sure any change in elevation is clearly identified via signage or high-visibility color.
• Floor Mats. Floor mats are a double-edge sword. While they’re great for keeping shoes clean and dry, they can also be dangerous when they become curled or crumpled. Make sure you are using the right type of mat for your floor and that it is certified as a “high traction” product.
• Floors. Properly cleaning and maintaining your floors will help reduce slip and trip risks. Frequently inspect for defects in the floor. Anti-slip materials and textures (like sand) can be added to most flooring for extra resistance.

Additional Fall Protection Tips

• Footwear. In some environments, provide recommended or required footwear.
• Lighting. Lighting can play a large role in reducing falls – both inside and outside the facility.
• Signage. Spills are bound to happen but utilizing the proper signage to identify those spill areas are crucial to protecting against falls. Keep signs readily available and easy to find. A small spill is more dangerous than a large spill because it is less likely to be noticed.

Check out some of these trip hazards that Simon Surfaces was able to resolve – click each one to view case studies.