Stop the fall

Your foot slides on a wet floor and then you quickly fall on your arm, fracturing it. Catch your foot on the edge of a raised sidewalk and you are tripping forward, falling on your hip, resulting in a nasty bruise. Ouch! 

Same level slips, trips, and falls are some of the top causes of workplace injuries, and they happen across all industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists it as the third most common cause of non-fatal workplace injuries in 2022, second only to overexertion and contact with objects.

One way to prevent this from happening is by using the Stop the Fall triangle. Each side represents a strategy you can use to reduce the risk of slips, trips, and falls.

Footwear

Choose the right shoes for the job. Wear non-slip soles on wet or slippery surfaces and use traction devices like crampons or ice cleats for walking on snow and ice. Don’t forget to replace footwear when it shows signs of wear so it continues to provide effective traction. 

Surfaces

Be aware of the surfaces you walk and work on, and watch for hazards like uneven ground, spills, and debris. Be sure to clean up spills right away. Use the handrail when going up and down stairs. 

Actions

The best action you can take is to have good housekeeping standards: keep cords and power cables out of walkways and dispose of trash and debris. You can turn sideways when stepping over objects and shorten your stride when walking in icy or slippery conditions, too.  

Want more?

There are other materials to help train employees how they can use the stop the fall triangle to reduce their risk of slips, trips, and falls. These include posters, an eLearning module, and an assessment so you can identify slip, trip, and fall hazards in your workplace.  

These materials are also available in Spanish! Find more at saif.com/falls.