Six Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in the Workplace (and How Employers Can Reduce Risks)

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If an employee or customer is injured by a slip and fall at your workplace, it could not only result in a lawsuit. It could also damage your reputation.

Of course, you do not want anyone to be injured. So, make sure you are aware of the following six common causes of slip and fall accidents at the workplace and know how to reduce the risks.

1.Wet Floors

If you are injured in a slip and fall accident that was not your fault on commercial premises, you can at least claim compensation by getting a lawyer to help you with your case.

But as an employer, it is important that you take the right precautions to prevent your employees and customers from slipping and falling at your workplace.

Not only could you end up being sued if you do not take appropriate precautions. You could also be responsible for a person’s injuries. One of the leading causes of slips and falls is wet floors.

Wet floors can happen due to spillages. They can also occur during icy and snowy weather conditions.

To reduce the risk of people slipping and falling on wet floors, ensure all of your employees are trained appropriately so that they know to clearly signpost wet floors and mop up the wetness as soon as possible.

2.Uneven and Loose Flooring

Uneven floors can also cause slip and fall accidents. The same applies to loose carpets and rugs.

You should make sure that all flooring in the workplace is checked regularly. If a floor is uneven or if there is loose carpeting, make sure you fix it straight away. Again, in the meantime, signpost the areas clearly to prevent people from tripping or slipping.

3.Obstacles Blocking Pathways

Every pathway through your workplace should be kept free of obstacles.

If there is debris on the floor, electrical cords running across walkways, open cabinet drawers, or any kind of obstacle left in a place where it should not be, there will be an increased risk of potential slip and fall accidents.

Once more, make sure that all of your employees are properly trained so that they can always spot when obstacles are potential hazards. They can then quickly remove the obstacles to prevent slips and falls from occurring.

4.Poor Lighting

If people cannot see clearly when they are walking through a workplace, they are much more likely to experience a slip and fall accident, especially when there are obstacles blocking paths, loose carpets, or wet floors.

So, ensure all areas of your workplace are lit sufficiently.

If any area of the workplace has dim lighting or no lighting at all, you should take immediate steps to install proper lighting. It is especially important to do that in potentially hazardous areas like stairwells.

5.Loose Handrails or Broken Stairs

If stairs are broken, or stairway handrails are loose, it will be only a matter of time before someone has an accident. If there is inadequate lighting as well, the risk of accidents becomes even higher.

You should regularly check for things like loose handrails and broken stairs. When you find such potential hazards, make sure you put up clear warning signs while you take steps to fix the problems.

6.Improper Training

We touched upon training members of staff earlier, but it is worth pointing out just how important training is.

If your employees are not trained appropriately to identify potential slip and fall hazards and take the proper action to remedy the situation, hazards could be overlooked on a daily basis.

Drive home just how crucial health and safety is and provide your workers with the knowledge and skills to ensure all areas throughout the workplace are always hazard-free.

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Image and article originally from www.insightssuccess.com. Read the original article here.

By admin