March 21, 2014

Top 5 Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

By : Rob Dodson

 Knowing how to eliminate the common causes to slip and fall accidents will save your business money and more importantly, make your facility safer.

The following list is the top five most common causes of slip and fall accidents:

Wet floors-

Wet floors should always be treated as slippery floors. Water, beverage spills and food are the most common reasons floors get wet. A knowledgeable staff should be prompt at cleaning up spills and maintaining a safer environment.

Improper maintenance of floors-

Dirt and soil can become embedded in the finish if not properly removed with routine maintenance. When the floors are dirty, they can become slippery. Be sure to create and follow a good routine maintenance program.

Worn finish-

Floor finish should meet or exceed ASTM D2047-93 for slip resistance. Slip resistance is one of the reasons (view coomon link) we apply floor finish to Vinyl Composite Tile (VCT). Uncoated VCT is very slippery and steps should be taken to make sure there is enough finish on the floor at all times.

Contamination from shoes-

Controlling what comes into your facility by way of peoples shoes is impossible, but you can catch some of it by using a good matting system at the entrances. Knowing and understanding the importance of what can cause slip and fall is also another step that can make your staff aware of potential hazards.

Improper footwear-

Shoes provide adequate protection from slip and fall. High heels, slippers and other specialty shoes can also be dangerous. Make sure you take precaution based on the type of shoes you are wearing to prevent a hazardous incident.

People buy floor finish to enhance the appearance and to protect the floor. Floor finish also makes the surface easier to clean and most importantly, makes the floor slip resistant. Understanding slip and fall preventions is the first step to controlling them. As they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth its weight in gold.”