Prevention of Slip, Trip & Fall Accidents in the Workplace

A slip, trip and fall accident in the workplace can result in serious injuries for a victim, including broken bones and traumatic brain injuries. Fall risks in the workplace can decrease a company’s productivity and lead to legal trouble for the business due to liability disputes. Slip and fall accidents may be a leading cause of workers’ compensation claims in Connecticut, but these disasters are often preventable.

How Common Are Workplace Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents?

According to the National Safety Council, 805 workers lost their lives due to falls in 2020. An additional 211,640 suffered injuries in fall accidents that were severe enough to require days off of work. Deadly falls can take place in dangerous industries, such as construction, but they can also happen in any workplace or office setting. Deadly falls are not always from heights; statistics showed that 136 workers died in same-level fall accidents in 2020.

What Can an Employer Do to Prevent Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents in the Workplace?

Workplace slip and fall accidents are almost always avoidable. These disasters are often traced back to premises hazards and defects that can be prevented by an employer or property owner, such as slippery floors, cluttered walkways and uneven floor surfaces. With a few tips for preventing slip, trip and fall accidents, workers can be better protected from this common injury risk:

• Keep walkways free of clutter. Any workplace, including an office or warehouse, can be made dangerous by excessive clutter. Workers should keep all floor surfaces, aisles and walkways clear of objects. This includes loose rugs and exposed cords.
• Inspect and maintain stairways and handrails. If a stairway has a defect, it can pose serious fall injury risks to workers. The employer should periodically inspect stairways and handrails to search for defects and make repairs as necessary to keep them secure.
• Provide adequate lighting. Many slip, trip and fall accidents occur because the victim could not see a hazard or obstacle due to poor lighting. A workplace should have adequate lights to illuminate common areas and stairwells.

Other tips for preventing workplace slip and trip accidents are to frequently check floor conditions, have a system in place for quickly cleaning up any spilled beverages or liquids, use non-skid rugs on slippery surfaces, and put up warning signs if a floor is wet or has been freshly waxed. Requiring proper footwear can also help protect workers from slip and fall accident risks at work.

Fall Prevention Techniques in Construction

It is especially important for employers in the construction industry to focus on fall prevention. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 46.1 percent of all fatal slip or trip and fall accidents in 2020 occurred in construction. Falls are the leading cause of construction worker death each year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A construction company can decrease the odds of serious and fatal falls with adequate safety equipment, such as personal fall protection when a worker has to work at any elevation. Proper guardrails, trench barricades, scaffold construction and warning signs can also help prevent fatal falls in this industry. All construction workers should be properly trained to identify and prevent slip, trip and fall risks around them.

Were You Injured in a Workplace Slip, Trip and Fall Accident?

Victims of fall accidents in the workplace may be eligible for financial compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and a variety of other losses. If an employee gets injured in a slip or trip and fall accident while in the scope or course of employment, he or she may be entitled to no-fault workers’ compensation benefits.

If the employer was negligent and failed to prevent the accident with a reasonable level of care or diligence, the employee may be able to file a personal injury claim against the company instead. Consult with an attorney about your rights if you get injured in a workplace slip or trip and fall.