Top Causes of Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace

 Posted on September 14, 2018 in Workers' Compensation

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, slips, trips, and falls were the second leading cause of nonfatal injuries to workers in the U.S. and the third leading cause of fatal injuries to workers in 2016. Slips, trips and falls can cause serious injuries to workers and can result in you having to spend days away from work to heal broken bones or pulled muscles. Depending on the severity of your injuries, slips, trips and falls can render you permanently disabled from a spinal cord injury or even a brain injury.

Fluids or debris on the floor: One of the most common reasons employees slip or fall is because there is something on the floor that is making it slippery. Liquids or dry debris can both make the floor slippery and unsafe. Examples of these hazards can include:

• Water;
• Grease;
• Soap;
• Ice or snow;
• Dust, powder or granules; and
• Freshly mopped or waxed floors.

Walking surface irregularities: Trips, especially, can happen where there is no consistency in walking surfaces when there should be. These irregularities can be both indoors and outdoors. Walking surface irregularities can include:

• Holes in the floor;
• Warped or buckled carpeting;
• Broken tiles or wood;
• Changes in floor height;
• Inconsistency in stairways; and
• Unanchored rugs or mats.

Weather Conditions: Certain weather conditions can make surfaces and walkways unsafe or more likely to cause a slip or fall. During winter in colder climates, snow and ice are of concern because both cause walkways to become slippery. In almost all climates, rain can cause any surface to become slippery and unsafe.

Poor lighting: This is a common cause of slips, trips, and falls, though it may not be obvious at first. If an employee cannot see where he or she is stepping, there is a chance that the surface they are stepping onto will be unsafe to walk on. Areas such as parking garages, storage rooms, closets, hallways, and stairwells are prone to poor lighting.

Get Help From a DuPage County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

If you have been injured at work due to a slip, trip, or fall, you should immediately contact a Wheaton workers’ compensation attorney. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace for their employees, and your accident could have been due to the negligence of another. To begin discussing your case, you should contact the Law Offices of David W. Clark, P.C. To schedule an initial consultation, call the office at 630-665-5678.

Sources:

https://stats.bls.gov/iif/osch0060.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-123/pdfs/2011-123.pdf

https://www.workcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WorkCare-Fact-Sheet-Slips-trips-and-falls-2015.pdf