Slip-and-fall accidents are a common occurrence in the workplace, and manufacturing facilities are no exception. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), they are the second-most common cause of job-related fatality, surpassed only by motor vehicle accidents. Slip-and-fall accidents are also the leading cause of nonfatal job-related injury, accounting for 25% of all worker injuries. The good news is that most slip-and-fall accidents are preventable. By making a few changes to their workplace and policies, manufacturing companies can protect workers from accidents.
Use Signage Around Hazardous Areas
If there’s a slip-and-fall hazard present, manufacturing companies should use signage to notify workers of the hazard. Spilled liquids, for example, can create a slippery floor surface that increases the risk of such accidents. But placing signage around this area will notify workers of the hazard so that they can avoid it.
Clean Spilled Water and Liquids
Even with signage, manufacturing companies should still clean all spilled water and liquids in a timely manner. Whether it’s a spilled drink or a spilled cleaning product, allowing liquids to remain unchecked pose a serious hazard to workers’ health. If a worker unknowingly walks over the spilled liquid, he or she may slip and fall. Therefore, manufacturing companies should focus on cleaning spilled water and liquids as soon as possible.
Use Carpet and Rugs
Carpet and rugs provide greater traction than hard flooring materials, making them ideal for high-traffic areas in manufacturing facilities. Manufacturing companies don’t have to replace their existing hard floors with carpet or rugs. Rather, they should consider laying carpet or rugs over their hard floors, especially in areas frequently used by workers.
Invest in Non-Slip Footwear
Another way to lower the risk of slip-and-fall accidents in manufacturing facilities is to invest in non-slip footwear. As the name suggests, this type of footwear is designed specifically to protect against slipping and falling. Non-slip footwear features a unique padding on the bottom of the sole that sticks to the floor, thereby reducing the risk of slip-and-fall accidents.
Increase Lighting
Illuminating a manufacturing facility with proper lighting can also reduce the risk of slip-and-fall accidents among workers. If a facility is poorly lit, workers are more likely to slip, trip and fall. This problem is easily avoided by integrating high-powered lighting into the workplace. Manufacturing companies should ensure that their workplace has multiple, high-lumen light sources, and they should replace the bulbs in these sources when they die out.
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