Slips, Trips and Falls cost valuable working hours and unexpected costs to the bottom line!

Slips, Trips and Falls cost valuable working hours and unexpected costs to the bottom line!
Little things can make a big difference!

By Andy Bull
CH Bull Co – Safety Solutions

*At 211 degrees you have very hot water.
At 212 degrees you have boiling water.
Boiling water creates steam and steam can drive a locomotive train.
I guess what we just learned is in live little things can make a big difference.
In Safety, many times it is the little things make a big difference!

I want to share a few little things that could make a big difference.

One of the leading causes of workman’s compensation claims resulting in 9 million people visiting a hospital (or receiving medical attention) would be the category of Slips, Trips, and Falls. Industry statistics would estimate the average cost of an accident involved with a trip, slip, or fall to be $20,000.

There are estimated 95 million work days per year missed (or maybe better stated LOST) due to slips, trips and falls. The following are a few facts about this very preventable group of accidents that are so costly to our companies.

• 9,000,000 Slips, trips, or falls requiring ER or medical attention
• 5% of people who slip, trip or fall have broken bones
• 95,000,000 lost days of work each year due to slips, trips, or falls.
• $70,000,000,000 in medical costs and compensation annually due to slips, trips, and falls
• 35% of work related accidents fall into this category
• 65% of all lost work days are because of slips, trips, and falls

Most Dangerous Industries

• Police officers rate of slips, trips, and falls is 5 times higher than all other workers
• Janitors
• Nurses, nurses aids and orderlies
• Construction workers/laborers rate of slips, trips and falls is 3 times higher than all other workers

Where do falls happen?

• Flooring and flooring materials contribute to more than 2,000,000 fall injuries each year

What are the primary causes of Slips, trips, and falls in the work place?

• 55% floor or the walking surface
• 24% footwear
• 10% hazards in the work area
• 8% training or more correctly said lack of training
• 3% fraud

In what industry do most fatal falls occur?

• Construction
• Mining
• Maintenance

So what can we do to help keep our people safer and help them to get home each night to the people who love and care for them most, their families?

• Make sure when there are wet floors that we post signage warning them, clean up, dry and mitigate the cause of wet floors.
• Maintain clear aisle ways, passageways, and walk ways from obstructions, clutter and power cords.
• Where possible eliminate uneven floor surfaces where there is walking and working traffic.
• Make sure there is proper lighting in hallways, stair wells and any place where there might be the opportunity to go from a well-lit area to improperly lit area.
• If there are carpets or flooring that is torn or not lying flat on the floor fix them or mark them with signage until they are fixed.

So just like the Sargent Phil Esterhaus in the old TV Show Hill Street Blues said at the beginning of each show as he sent the officers out to do their job, “HEY, (pause) Let’s be careful out there.”

Statistics from Bolt insurance Agency
*212 degrees – The Extra Degree Sam Parker & Mac Anderson