It seems so trivial. Something as simple as a slip on an uneven surface can result in horrendous consequences. The person in question might suffer injuries that take a long time to recover from. The company might also suffer the ramifications, paying the penalty for neglecting employee safety. Slips and trips are all too common, and here are the main reasons why they occur.
Wet Floors
Wet floors can arise in all sorts of ways. Weather conditions can make a business environment unsafe to traverse, while spillages can do the same. As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to look out for any potential hazards. By implementing a robust and regular safety check-up procedure, you can put a stop to these issues before they get worse. An unattended spillage that results in a trip could put your business’s reputation under serious strain.
Poor Lighting
Failing to install adequate lighting in areas where employees are expected to work is a big no-no. If an accident results from this, the employee will have a case to make a claim against your business. So, ensuring that every room is adequately lighted for the work taking place is important. And, regular maintenance of those lights to make sure they’re operating at full power is also an important consideration.
Unsuitable Surfaces
This title might seem a bit vague, but then there are all sorts of unsuitable surfaces employees might come into contact with. Take mats, for example. If you’re using standard low-price mats for heavy use, they’re not going to provide too many anti-slip qualities. But, a tailored anti-slip mat from somewhere like Matshop will be able to accomplish this. The same could be said for uneven floors with a range of bumps and edges. If flattening them out isn’t a possibility, then employees should be made aware of their dangers.
Cables
Trailing cables have long been an issue in workplaces since computers were first introduced. Unfortunately, it only takes one poorly installed cable to present a major trip hazard. It’s your responsibility to implement an effective IT use policy, and include this as an adhered-to requirement. And, this is yet another area you need to be monitoring with high regularity, suitably punishing those who break the rules. Cables are easily missed, making them a particularly dangerous trip hazard.
Inadequate Shoes
This one’s a little bit different. If your employees are using inadequate shoes to walk around the building, they’re putting themselves at risk. The same goes for those who come into the building after being soaked with rain, sprinkling the floor with water as they go. The way in which you deal with this is up to you, but implementing a strict attire policy is beneficial. And, for certain work tasks that require it, providing suitable business shoes might be useful.
Those are some of the main causes of slips and trips in the workplace, but you should always be on the lookout for others. Ultimately, it’s the health of your employees and your company that’s at stake.
