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Slips, Trips, and Falls

Compiled and presented by:BOB ROBINSON

Slips, Trips and Falls 2


• Causes• Stairs• Ladders• Fall Protection

Working conditions that prompt the use of fall protection

Options that are available to protect workers from falls



• In 1999 over 1 million people suffered a slip, trip, or falling injury 32% from ladders

25% from vehicles and other mobile equipment

• Over 1700 workers died

• About 15 % of workforce injury

• Average cost of one injury: £28,000 with indirect costs much higher


Injured Parts

• Most injured part was the back 37 % from elevated falls 29 % from same level falls

• Of other parts sprains and strains were the most common 52 % from elevated falls 46 % from same-level falls

• And lots of bruises

Oops!


What causes a slip and fall?

• 3 Forces

Friction

Momentum

Gravity

• Measured by coefficient of friction Walking surface Soles of your shoes

• Involves speed and size• The bigger you are and the faster

you are moving, the greater chance you have of losing your balance

• The bigger you are, the harder you fall

• Without support gravity causes things to fall towards the earth


Choosing the Right Shoes

• All footware should provide these three major types of protection Soles and heels should be slip-resistant The toe of the shoe should resist crushing injuries The shoe should support the ankle

• BSI sets standards for shoes and boots


Choosing the Right Shoes

What surface do you usually walk on?• Soft rubber is good for dry surfaces, but not for

wet or greasy• Hard rubber is good for greasy surfaces• Deep tread is better if there is a lot of water• Leather covering is good for most environments• In wet environments with chemicals or greases,

PVC or polyurethane blend is best• Rubber is good for wet conditions, but do not

use with chemicals or petroleum products• If you doubt that your footwear is acceptable,

check with the dealer or manufacturer


Surfaces

First 15-25 feet of an entryway is important People may have dirt on their shoes Sweeping is important

• Walk-off mats are important Make sure the surface under the mat is clean Make sure the mat stays secure on the floor Should be kept dry


Surfaces – Cleaning Floors

• Don’t add dirty/greasy water to the floor Don’t use a dirty mop Use a clean bucket

• Make sure you use proper wax on the floors Don’t use contaminated floor polish

• Cleaning oil spills Wipe off the spill and use a dry powder cleaner, then

wipe up the powder


Surfaces

• Weather conditions may cause floors to be wet or ground to be icy

• Keep work areas clean Tools, cables, etc. Do not block passageways

• Clean up spills Barricade spill until it is cleaned


Surfaces

• Other things to watch out for: Worn or loose carpet Broken stair tread edges Chipped floorboards and tiles High heels Pick up objects that fall Watch where you walk!

• Fix wrinkled floor mats and runners

• Cover cables or cords that cross walkways


Stairs

• Damaged steps or misplaced items are major factors in trips!

• Don’t congregate on stairs and landings

• Don’t load your arms so full of materials that you can’t see

• Take one step at a time

• Keep one hand on the handrail

• Keep stairs well lighted

• Don’t use stairs for storage


Ladders


General Ladder Requirements

Ladders must be kept in a safe condition

DO… • Keep the area around the top and

bottom of a ladder clear

• Ensure rungs, cleats, and steps are level and uniformly spaced

• Ensure rungs are spaced 10 to 14 inches apart

• Keep ladders free from slipping hazards


DON’T…

• Do not tie ladders together to make longer sections, unless designed for such use

• Never use single rail ladders

• Do not load ladders beyond the maximum load for which they were built, nor beyond the manufacturer’s rated capacity

General Ladder Requirements

Use ladders only for their designed purpose


Things to Check

• Metal Ladders Sharp edges Dents Bent steps, rungs, or rails No slip-resistant rubber or plastic feet

• Wood Ladders Splits, cracks, chips, loose rungs or steps

• Fiberglass ladders Loose components Missing components Cracks and chips


Securing Ladders

• Secure ladders to prevent movement due to workplace activity

• Only use ladders on stable and level surfaces, unless secured

• Do not use ladders on slippery surfaces unless secured or provided with slip-resistant feet

This ladder is not on a stable surface


• Inspect before use for cracks, dents, and missing rungs

• Design or treat rungs to minimize slipping

• Ensure they are at a 4 – 1 ratio

• Do not stand on any rung higher than the 3rd. From the top to ensure a suitable handhold

Portable Ladders


• Don’t paint ladders

• Don’t use an opaque covering (like varnish) on a wood ladder

Painting Wood Ladders


When using a portable ladder for access to an upper landing surface, the side rails must extend at least 1.05 metres above the stepping off point

Ladder Rail Extension

Tall Fixed Ladder Requirements

Equip a fixed ladder 7 metres or longer with either:

• Ladder safety device

• Self-retracting lifelines with rest platforms every 9 metres or less


Near Energized Electrical Equipment

If using ladders where the employee or the ladder could contact exposed energized electrical equipment, they should be nonconductive such as wood or fiberglass.

This is an unsafe condition


Do not use the top or top step of a stepladder as a step

Top Step


Don’t use crossbracing on the rear of a stepladder for climbing ― unless the ladder is designed for that

On this ladder the back rungs are designed for use

Crossbracing


• A qualified person must inspect ladders for visible defects, like broken or missing rungs

• If a defective ladder is found, immediately mark it defective or tag it "Do Not Use”

• Withdraw defective ladders from service until repaired

Damaged or Defective Ladders

Missing rung


• Face the ladder when going up or down

• Use three points of contact when going up or down

• Do not carry any object or load that could cause you to lose balance

Climbing the Ladder


Ladders

• Basic steps that should be taken before climbing a ladder Consider the type of work to be done before

choosing a ladder

Be certain the ladder is able to carry the amount of weight that will be applied

Make sure the ladder is placed on a firm level surface

Check the condition of the ladder


Ladder Weight Classes

• Industrial Heavy-duty with a load capacity of not more

than 130 Kgs.

• Commercial Medium-duty with a load capacity of not more

than 100Kgs.(Suited for painting)

• Household Must not be used for work purposes


Always Use Ladders Properly!

• Step Ladders Be certain spreaders are locked before

climbing ladders Never stand on top or top step of a stepladder

• Extension and Straight Ladders Raise extension ladder to desired height and

lock both sides Never stand on top three rungs of a straight

or extension ladder Don’t lean a ladder against a movable object Always face ladder and hold stiles with both

hands, when going up or down ladder


Other Points

• Never use a ladder in a strong wind

• Never use a ladder in front of a door unless it is locked, blocked or guarded

• Inspect ladders for potential dangers before use

• Keep your body centered between ladder rails

• Never carry tools or materials in hands when going up or down a ladder

• Only one person on a ladder at a time

• If one must work near power lines, always use a wooden or fiberglass ladder. NEVER work with a metal ladder around power lines


Proper Ladder Placement

• Place a ladder so that its base is one foot away from what the ladder leans against for every four feet in height to the point where the ladder rests. This is called the four-to-one rule

• Example: if a 16 foot ladder leans against a wall, its base should be four feet from the wall


Proper Ladder Use

• Whenever there is any question as to the stability of the ladder, additional effort should be made to stabilize the ladder Having a second person hold the ladder

Tying the top of the ladder to the supporting structure


Fall Protection


• Falls are the leading cause of deaths in the construction industry

• Most fatalities occur when employees fall from open-sided floors and through floor openings

• Falls from as little as 1 – 2 metres can cause serious lost-time injuries and sometimes death

• Open-sided floors and platforms at any height must be guarded

Falls


Personal Fall Arrest System

(PFAS)

Guardrails Safety Net

Fall Protection Options


When Fall Protection Is Needed

• Walkways & ramps• Open sides & edges• Holes• Concrete forms &

rebar• Excavations

• Roofs• Wall openings• Bricklaying• Residential

Construction


• Fall protection systems and work practices must be in place before you start work

Lanyards and PFAS in use

Fall Protection Planning


Personal Fall Arrest Systems

• You must be trained how to properly use PFAS

• PFAS = anchorage, lifeline and body harness


• Must be independent of any platform anchorage

• Capable of supporting at least 2,000 Kgs. per worker

Safety Line Anchorage


• Top rails at least 950mm. Tall• No gaps between more than 470mm.• Toeboards at least 150mm. high

Top Rail

Mid- Rail

Toeboard

Guardrails


• Place as close as possible, but no more than 2 metres below where employees work

Safety Nets


• Guard ramps, runways, and other walkways

Walkways and Ramps


Missing Fall Protection


Unprotected edge

Unprotected Sides & Edges

• Unprotected sides and edges must have guardrails or equivalent


Improper Guarding

• This 6mm. nylon rope alone is not a proper way to guard this open floor


• Holes more than 2 metres high must be protected• This opening could be made safe by using a

guardrail, or strong cover

Sky Lights and Other Openings


• Use PFAS when working on formwork or rebar• Cover or cap protruding rebar

Concrete Forms and Rebar


What’s the Falling Distance?


• If you work near openings you must be protected from falling

Wall opening

Wall Openings


Good Work Practices

• Perform work at ground level if possible

Example: Building prefab roofs on the ground and lifting into place with a crane

• Tether or restrain workers so they can't reach the edge

• Designate and use safety monitors (This is less desirable of all the systems)

• Use conventional fall protection


Summary

• If you can fall from any height, you must be protected

• Use fall protection on: walkways & ramps open sides & edges holes concrete forms & rebar excavations, roofs wall openings, bricklaying residential construction

• Protective measures include guardrails, covers, safety nets, and Personal Fall Arrest Systems


More Workplace Fall Hazards


Falling from Vehicles

• Death or serious injury is a frequent result of extra riders falling from tractors, equipment or the bed of a truck

• NO EXTRA RIDERS!

• When climbing or mounting a vehicle or machine, have a good hand hold

Pulling yourself up reduces the force between your shoe and the step and reduces the danger of a slip

Practice the “Three-point System”


Falls from Loading Docks

• Loading docks are dangerous areas

• Metal dock plates can wear smooth and become very slippery

• The edge of a dock plate invites trips and falls


It only takes a second…

…to change your life.

It only takes a second to think

safety!Be Aware! Be Alert! Be Alive!

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Documents

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