Just don’t fall for it!

Remember that commercial for a safety monitor that shows an elderly person who has “fallen and can’t get up?” As cheesy as the commercial may have been, falling – at home or in the workplace – is a very serious matter. In fact, slips, trips and falls are responsible for 25% of occupational industries that require time off work.  Falls are also one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries and account for more than eight million visits to the emergency department.

Falls in the workplace are classified two ways: falls to a lower level and falls on the same level. Falls on the same level usually result in less serious injuries but are more frequent. These are the ones that are on my mind today. It could be because we just had our first snow storm of the year this week and ice and slush seem to be everywhere. Or maybe it’s because watching a few people wipe out on the sidewalk this morning made it top of mind. Or it could be because if there are ten people walking on the same sidewalk and there’s one tiny little patch of ice – I’ll be the one to step right on it.

My point is that as much as we work to prevent slips and fall inside our facilities, it’s important that we don’t forget the outside; areas like parking lots, sidewalks, ramps, steps and loading docks are all areas that can pose a hazard when wet, icy and in disrepair. I realize that right now you probably think I have a keen grasp of the obvious and you’re right. This is all common sense. It’s just sometimes we have to be reminded – before someone gets hurt.


Posted by MJ Thomas