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Slips and fall injuries are the one of most common sources of lawsuits against businesses.

By identifying risks and taking protective measures, you can prevent these injuries occurring in your workplace. Below are a few tips on how to reduce slip and fall injuries in your workplace.

Choose the right flooring surface

Certain types of flooring may not be suitable for certain types of workplaces. If there’s a high risk of spillages, a polished stone floor could become very slippery. Rubber flooring may be better as it can provide grip while still being easy to clean.

In offices, short pile carpets are sometimes favoured because of the grip they provide. If you are unsure about what to go for, advice about the best flooring should be sought. Consulting with a flooring Chicago company, or one relevant to your location, can offer valuable guidance on what is best for your individual circumstances.

Use barriers where necessary

If there’s a risk of someone falling off a ledge or some stairs, it’s important that barriers are installed to offer protection. The likes of these steel balustrades could be a good choice for high landing and ledges. Railings should meanwhile always be placed along stairs – even if it’s a short flight.

Make sure staff wear the right shoes

Certain shoes can offer more grip and may be better suited to certain environments like kitchens or factories. Consider making it a company policy to wear specific footwear in order to protect your employees. It’s up to you as to whether you pay for these shoes or if employees have to buy them themselves.

Signpost wet areas of flooring

If a floor has recently been mopped or there has been a spillage that needs attending to, make sure to signpost this with a wet floor sign. This can warn people that the floor is wet so that they’re more likely to tread carefully and not fall over. Even if people still fall over, a wet floor sign can help legally protect you. Of course, where possible, it’s best to avoid wet floors as much as you can by attending to spillages quickly and going over wet floors with a dry mop.

Keep walkways free of clutter

Clutter left on the floor in walkways is a common cause of slips and falls. Make sure that boxes and equipment aren’t left in places where people could easily fall over them. For example, if you’ve recently had a delivery of boxes, do not leave them by an entrance – put them where they need to go as soon as you can, or leave them by the side of the room where people are less likely to walk.

Avoid trailing cables across walkways

Cables another common trip hazard. You should always try to keep cables tucked out of the way. Cables leading to stationary equipment can be attached to walls via cable raceways. When it comes to using portable wired machines like vacuum cleaners and drills, try to watch where you trail cables behind – try to keep them tucked towards the side of stairs and walkways where possible. Alternatively, look into wireless portable machines that won’t present this problem.

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