Workplace safety should be on top of a business owner’s mind due to evident reasons. Besides being a responsibility, it saves your organization from expenses, lawsuits, and reputational damage. Your customers trust you, and employees value the effort to keep them safe and healthy. Both ways, your business gains a winning advantage as a brand and employer.
When it comes to workplace safety, preventing slip and fall mishaps should be your priority. These accidents may happen anywhere- in a retail store, office, factory, construction site, or parking lot. The best way to address the risk is by identifying the hazards and correcting them before someone trips. Most businesses go the extra mile with it but tend to overlook some uncommon hazards. Let us highlight the ones you are likely to ignore.
Loose floor coverings
Wet floors are regarded as one of the most common causes of workplace trips. But perils like loose floor coverings like mats and rugs require much attention. Likewise, stair covers may also cause problems. At times, rugs curl up at the corners and cause bad falls. Frequent checks for your floor coverings are the best solution to avert the trip hazard. Ensure they fit well in the space and lay flat. They should be properly secured as well. Replace curled mats with anti-slip covers made to size. These steps require some expense and attention to detail but can save you from big trouble down the line.
Cracked concrete
Cracks in concrete are unavoidable, and they happen over time. The floors, stairs, sidewalks, and walkways at your workplace can shrink or become uneven over the years. It is easy to overlook them because the expense seems massive. Moreover, you may want to procrastinate on the project because it can cause business disruption. But you must opt for timely repair and replacement to avoid a serious tripping hazard. Replacing may be out of your budget, but you can invest in anti-slip step and walkway covers. These are relatively inexpensive yet extend the lifespan of the concrete.
Contaminants
Water is not the only agent that makes the floors slippery enough to cause slip and fall mishaps. Contaminants like oil overspray, drilling fluid, dust, and grease can make walking surfaces dangerous. The risk runs high in factories, food processing plants, and water treatment facilities, though such mishaps may also happen in retail and hospitality locations. Victims are likely to engage a personal injury lawyer to file a lawsuit against your business to seek compensation for their injuries. You can prevent the hazard with something as simple as good housekeeping, so the risk is not worth taking.
Temporary walkways
Another fall hazard likely to go overlooked is temporary ramps and walkways on construction sites and oil fields. But these are extremely risky because mishaps may happen at any time. Managers tend to go wrong with safety procedures and controls for these temporary constructions, making them dangerous. Covering temporary walkways with portable anti-slip rolls is a good option. The best part is that business owners can reuse them project after project, so they serve as a long-term safety investment for the organization.
Seasonal hazards
Business owners are more likely to be conscious of the hazards present all the time. Conversely, seasonal ones tend to go unnoticed, making them even more dangerous. For example, you prop a door open for fresh air during the summer. But it can make the floors slippery on a rainy day. Winters are even riskier because establishments use rock salt to melt ice in driveways. It often gets tracked inside and becomes a slip and fall hazard. It is vital to be aware of potential hazards, no matter the season. Keeping a close vigil on threats and closing them with the apt measures is enough to keep workers safe year-round.
Distracted walking
Another factor that you cannot do much about is distracted walking. Both customers and employees may slip and fall on your premises because they are too busy checking their cellphones. The worst part is that you may have to pay only because the mishap occurred on your premises. Remember that safety starts with awareness, so you must educate and remind your employees about focusing on the task at hand. Installing signage regarding the potential dangers of distracted walking can also help.
Safety procedures play a significant role in preventing slips, trips, and falls at workplaces. But they deliver to expectations only if they are effective enough. Moreover, employees should follow them at all times. Also, you should not take a set-and-forget approach to slip and fall hazards, rather stay a step ahead!
Erika Cruz is a professional content writer with 7 years of experience in tech and business content. As the industries are advancing at an incredible pace, she aims to provide information about the latest tech, business, and digital trends in an easy-to-understand language. It allows her to establish better connections with readers, ensuring a thorough understanding of the subject matter.
