slips, trips, and falls

Slips, Trips, Slips, Trips, and Fallsand Falls

Fall FactorsFall Factors

FrictionFriction

MomentumMomentum

GravityGravity

1a

What happens when What happens when you slipyou slip

Loss of balance caused by too little Loss of balance caused by too little frictionfriction

Loss of tractionLoss of traction

Wet surfacesWet surfaces

SpillsSpills

2a

What happens when What happens when you slipyou slip

Weather hazardsWeather hazards

Potential solutionsPotential solutions• Practice safe Practice safe

walking skillswalking skills• Clean up spillsClean up spills• Keep grease off shop floorsKeep grease off shop floors• Be cautious on smooth surfacesBe cautious on smooth surfaces

2b

Preventing slipsPreventing slips

Use appropriate footwearUse appropriate footwear

Increase friction between shoes Increase friction between shoes and walking and walking surfacesurface

3a

Preventing slipsPreventing slips

Strap-on cleatsStrap-on cleats

Proper footwear selectionProper footwear selection

3b

Why trips occurWhy trips occur

When a person trips:When a person trips:• Worker’s foot hits an Worker’s foot hits an

objectobject• Balance is thrown offBalance is thrown off• Creates momentum Creates momentum

to fallto fall

4a

Why trips occurWhy trips occur

Cluttered work areasCluttered work areas

Poor lightingPoor lighting

Area has loose Area has loose footingfooting

4b

Why trips occurWhy trips occur

Worker is in a hurryWorker is in a hurry

Worker is inattentiveWorker is inattentive

4c

Preventing tripsPreventing trips

Ensure you can see over the load Ensure you can see over the load you are carryingyou are carrying

Ensure adequate Ensure adequate lightinglighting

Keep work areas free Keep work areas free of clutter/litterof clutter/litter

5a

Preventing tripsPreventing trips

Keep furniture out of Keep furniture out of walkways/traffic areaswalkways/traffic areas

Tape down extension cords/keep Tape down extension cords/keep out of out of walkwayswalkways

5b

Preventing tripsPreventing trips

Eliminate loose footing on stairs, Eliminate loose footing on stairs, steps, floorssteps, floors

Properly store ramps Properly store ramps and gangplanks in and gangplanks in loading dock areasloading dock areas

5c

Why falls occurWhy falls occur

Person moves too far away from Person moves too far away from center of balancecenter of balance

Caused by:Caused by:• Makeshift laddersMakeshift ladders• Misuse of laddersMisuse of ladders• Poor climbing habitsPoor climbing habits• Improper scaffolding useImproper scaffolding use

6a

Preventing fallsPreventing falls

Don’t jump from elevationsDon’t jump from elevations• DocksDocks• TrucksTrucks• Work stagesWork stages

Ensure adequate lightingEnsure adequate lighting

7a

Preventing fallsPreventing falls

Repair or report loose or broken Repair or report loose or broken stairs, handrailsstairs, handrails

Don’t use stairs/aisles as storage Don’t use stairs/aisles as storage areasareas

Wear appropriate footwearWear appropriate footwear

7b

Prevent injury on stairsPrevent injury on stairs

Use handrails whenever possibleUse handrails whenever possible

Walk up and down Walk up and down stairs; don’t runstairs; don’t run

Ensure you can see Ensure you can see over the load you are carryingover the load you are carrying

8a

Prevent injury on stairsPrevent injury on stairs

Report unsafe Report unsafe conditions, including conditions, including broken:broken:• Stair treadsStair treads• Floor boardsFloor boards• HandrailsHandrails

8b

Ladder and scaffold safetyLadder and scaffold safety

Don’t use makeshift laddersDon’t use makeshift ladders• Piling up boxes, chairs, benchesPiling up boxes, chairs, benches

Inspect ladders before Inspect ladders before useuse• Missing or broken rungsMissing or broken rungs

9a

Ladder and scaffold safetyLadder and scaffold safety

Face the ladder when climbingFace the ladder when climbing

Use both hands on laddersUse both hands on ladders

Hoist materials Hoist materials up to youup to you

9b

Ladder and scaffold safetyLadder and scaffold safety

Keep your center of balance on Keep your center of balance on ladderladder

Adjust position of ladder - don’t Adjust position of ladder - don’t overreachoverreach

Use the four-to-one ruleUse the four-to-one rule• For every foot up, have 3 inches (1/4 For every foot up, have 3 inches (1/4

foot) outfoot) out

9c

Ladder and scaffold safetyLadder and scaffold safety

One person at a time on a ladderOne person at a time on a ladder

Don’t stand on top step of ladderDon’t stand on top step of ladder

Stay away from ladders to avoid Stay away from ladders to avoid falling objectsfalling objects

9d

Ladder and scaffold safetyLadder and scaffold safety

Check scaffolding daily for defectsCheck scaffolding daily for defects

Clear work surfaces of Clear work surfaces of snow, ice, slippery snow, ice, slippery materialmaterial

9e

Ladder and scaffold safetyLadder and scaffold safety

Respect the load limits of scaffoldsRespect the load limits of scaffolds

Lock wheels/casters on mobile Lock wheels/casters on mobile scaffoldingscaffolding

Use proper PPEUse proper PPE

9f

Summary of main pointsSummary of main points

Fall factorsFall factors

Why slips occurWhy slips occur

Why trips Why trips occuroccur

10a

Summary of main pointsSummary of main points

Why falls occurWhy falls occur

Hazards of stairsHazards of stairs

Ladder Ladder and and scaffold scaffold safetysafety

10b

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