Slips, trips and falls

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Walking has been a leading cause of workplace injury for many years, the National Safety Council says, adding that “we need to watch out for all of the hazards tied to walking just as we would any other part of our jobs that poses a safety risk.”

When wood is cut or sanded, it releases dust that workers can inhale.

In this special 2023 National Safety Month episode, the S+H team examines the four weekly themes for this year’s NSM – emergency preparedness; slips, trips and falls; heat-related illness; and hazard recognition – with special guest David Consider, a senior safety consultant at the National Safety Council.

Falls to a lower level are the second leading cause of workplace fatalities. Help prevent them by following the four A’s of fall prevention.

In 2021, 62 U.S. construction workers died after falling through a surface or an existing opening such as a skylight, according to data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

“Whether it’s walking the factory floor, taking a stroll outside during a break or getting from one meeting to another, we’re on our feet at least part of the day,” the National Safety Council says. “With all of that foot traffic, there’s always the potential for a fall.”

The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is an annual event. But employers should focus on fall prevention all year.

Do you ever get distracted by your cellphone when walking? Is your workspace cluttered and messy? Do you barge out of your workstation without looking to see if a coworker is passing?

Slips, trips and falls can result in sprains and strains, cuts and bruises, broken bones, and more. Here’s how to help prevent these types of incidents.

Slips, trips and falls are no laughing matter. In fact, they can be deadly: According to the 2017 edition of “Injury Facts,” an NSC chartbook, 660 workers died in 2014 after a fall from height, and 138 workers died from a fall on the same level.