Slips, Trips, and Falls Prevention

Slips, trips, and falls don't need a dramatic cause — a wet floor, a stray cord, or a box left in an aisle is usually all it takes. That's what makes them one of the most common recordable injuries across every industry, and one of the easiest to prevent once people are actually looking for the hazard.

Most of these incidents come down to something that was fixable in under a minute, but nobody stopped to fix it.

Key points

• Clean up spills immediately, or barricade and flag them until they can be cleaned up.
• Keep walkways, aisles, and stairways clear of cords, tools, and stored material.
• Use handrails on stairs, every time — not just when carrying something heavy.
• Report uneven flooring, loose mats, or poor lighting instead of just working around it.
• Wear footwear appropriate for the surfaces and conditions you're working in.
• Take an extra second on ladders and elevated surfaces — rushing is when a misstep happens.

Discussion questions

• Is there a spot in our facility where people regularly work around a hazard instead of reporting it?
• Has anyone had a near-miss slip or trip recently?
• Do we have a fast way to report and address a spill or obstruction when we see one?