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Slips, Trips and FallsAwareness and Prevention

May 2016Jennifer Clarke-Relationship Manager WCB

Rod Stickman-STF Video

Slip Trip and Fall Video

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Agenda • Introductions

• Realities of Slips, Trips & Falls Injuries

• Slips, Trips & Falls: Hazard ID & Control

• Tools and Resources

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Did you know?An unrestrained adult fall from standing has been shown to produce 12x’s more force than what is required to produce a simple skull fracture

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Worker’s Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

OUR VISIONOUR VISIONNova Scotians – safe and secure from workplace

injury

OUR MISSIONOUR MISSIONTo set the standard for workplace injury insurance. We inform and inspire Nova Scotians in the prevention of workplace injury, but if it occurs, we support those whose lives it touches by championing a timely return to safe and healthy work.

We: • are Nova Scotia’s workplace injury insurance

provider• cover over 18,000 employers and 300,000

workers• are not-for-profit• are funded only by employer premiums • provide protections from lawsuit to employers,

and no-fault protection for workers • work with partners for a culture of safety

Nova Scotia Injury Statistics An injury occurs every 22 minutes. In 2015 there were:• 23,933 registered claims

– 1041 fewer claims than 2014– 66 claims per day

• 6014 were time-loss claims– 61 more time loss claims than 2014– 16 time loss claims per day

• 27 fatalities

Work-related injuries have been decreasing!

STF injuries in Cape Breton In 2015 there were:•260 STF Claims•474 STF Time Loss Claims•9.60 was Average Weeks paid•$3883 was the average costs of an STF Claim •2497 was the total number of weeks paid. •$1.8 Million-Total costs of STF claims

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NS STF Injury Statistics• Slips, trips and falls were the second

highest injury event in 2015, with 4,303 total claims.

• Over 1,532 Nova Scotians were injured seriously to need medical support and time to recover.

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How do you Stand Up?• Cape Breton STF injuries represents 6%

of all reported STF claims• However, Cape Breton STF injuries

represented almost 31% of the STF time loss claims in Nova Scotia.

• #1 Cause of STF was traveling on slippery floors, uneven ground -62% of the total STF injuries.

• Back Injuries were #1

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Did you know?Each Year

368people miss a full year of work, every year due to a slip, trip or fall injury

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STF by Industry in Cape Breton Industry Group Total claims Time lossHEALTH/SOCIAL SERVICES 149 77GOVERNMENT SERVICES 76 33

ACCOMODATION/FOOD/BEVERAGES 62 23RETAIL TRADE 58 27EDUCATIONAL SERVICES 42 16CONSTRUCTION 37 20COMMUNICATION/UTILITIES 29 18TRANSPORTATION/STORAGE 26 10WHOLESALE TRADE 23 11MANUFACTURING 19 7BUSINESS SERVICES 13 8OTHER SERVICES 9 4

REAL ESTATE/INSURANCE AGENTS 8 4FISHING/TRAPPING 4 1MINING/QUARRIES/OIL WELLS 2 0LOGGING/FORESTRY 1 0AGRICULTURE/RELATED SERVICES 1 1

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The Costs of Injury

• For a time-loss, slip/trip/fall injury? $10,411

• Average number of days lost from work? 92

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Types of STF Injuries

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Did you know?It doesn’t take much to ‘trip you up’! When we walk, our toes don’t clear the ground by

much – on average only 14mm (1/2”)

To protect 90% of the population, changes in elevation for a walking surface should

be <= 6mm (1/4”)

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Causes of STFs

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•Ice + Snow•Water + Liquid•Getting in/out of vehicle•Going up/down steps and stairs

Slips Trips & Falls – Group Activity

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Consider, Discuss an Action Plan for: Hazards ControlsNext Steps

Consider and Discuss STF Hazards:

1. What STF hazards are in your workplace?

2. How are STF hazards identified at your workplace?

3. How are workers, supervisors, managers involved in hazard identification?

4. How are STF hazards communicated in your workplace?

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Consider and Discuss STF Controls:1. What STF controls are in place now at your

workplace?

2. What is the STF hazard control process for your workplace?

3. How are workers, supervisors, managers involved in STF hazard control?

4. How are STF hazard controls communicated in your workplace?

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Did you know?• Good traction helps prevent slips!• A Coefficient of Friction (COF) of 0.4 –

0.5 or more is needed for excellent traction!

• Examples:- Leather shoes on a wet smooth surface

(ceramic tile or ice): COF as low as 0.10- Shoes with a rubber heel on a brushed

concrete surface: COF >= 1.0

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STF Action Plan Best Practices• Hazard identification and control• Education and training• Employee engagement• Communication• Program evaluation

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STF Tools and Resources

WCB Nova Scotia - worksafeforlife.ca & wcb.ns.ca Awareness & Training Videos - WCB and WSSSTF Prevention Tip Sheet STF Tip SheetSTF Infographic STF Infographic STF Tool Box Talks

And coming in 2016!Risk Mapping Tool STEP Online Risk Identification & Control program

STF Resources & Tools

Starting this week, what new or improved measures for preventing slips, trips and falls will be put into action at your workplace?

How will workers, supervisors and managers be supported to do all they can to prevent slips, trips and falls incidents and injuries?

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Action Plan – Next Steps

NS Workplaces

What Other NS Workplaces are Doing to address STFs in their Workplaces?

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Thank You

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