NSC Surefooted Approach to Slips Trips and Falls

Common causes of slips trips and falls and prevention techniques.

Take a Surefooted Approach Toward Slips, Trips and Falls

A slapstick comedian slips on a banana peel and the audience laughs. A schoolchild falls as he walks to the blackboard and another student asks,“Have a good trip?” The jokes are familiar, but slips are no laughing matter. They take a heavy toll in the number of workplace injuries and lost workdays. Falls to the same level are one of the most common causes of injuries on the job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Investigate slips

The incidence of slips, trips and falls at work may be even higher than the numbers show. Workers do not report many of the incidents because they are minor and make them appear clumsy, which is a mistake. To reduce slips, trips and falls, managers should stress the seriousness of all incidents and…