In “Underestimating Slip and Falls” by Stephen G. Minter, the author discuss slip and fall accidents within the workplace. According to Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, slip and falls are the second leading cause of workplace injuries and cost nearly $5.7 billion. Even more alarming, often slip and fall accidents go unreported. According to Steven Di Pilla, a loss control expert with ESIS Inc., this occurs because many people believe that slip and fall accidents cannot be prevented, therefore they ignore slip and falls and work to prevent injuries and accidents that they feel can be avoided.
According to Robert Pater, managing director of Strategic Safety Associates, slip and fall accidents occur when a person’s upper body is not positioned above their lower body. Slip and fall accidents can happen for a variety of reasons such as slippery wet floors from water, oil or grease, worn down footwear or flooring, or a lack of warning signs of slippery areas.
To help prevent slip and fall accidents, the author suggests taking measures to prevent slip and falls by providing employees and the workplace with proper slip resistant flooring and footwear, slip resistant floor coatings and warning signs.
An example of a product that can effective reduce slip and fall accidents within the workplace is SlipNOT® Metal Safety Flooring. SlipNOT® Metal Safety Flooring manufactures slip resistant flooring, grating, plank, nosing angles and stair treads that help keep workers on their feet. SlipNOT® slip resistant products are slip resistant against oil, grease, water and other chemicals and provide years of slip resistant safety for companies.
By utilizing a product such as SlipNOT® Metal Safety Flooring, companies effectively work to eliminate slip and fall accidents within the workplace. Because, slip and falls are one of the leading causes of injuries in the workplace, companies must strive to invest in preventative measures to help keep workers safe.
Minter, Stephen. “Underestimating Slip and Falls.” EHS Today, October 2004. http://ehstoday.com/ppe/fall-protection/ehs_imp_37222/
