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National Safety CouncilFalls at Work - Protect Yourself and your
Employees
W. E. Scott PhD, PE June 8, 2009
©2009
National Safety CouncilMission
The National Safety Council saves lives by preventing injuries at work, on the roads, in homes and in communities through leadership, research, education and advocacy.
GoalSave 10,000 lives and prevent 1 million injuries by 2014.
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National Safety Council
• Non-profit organization o More than 18,000 member companieso More than 54,000 member locationso That employ more than 8 million
• 39 chapters located throughout U.S.
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Falls at Work - Protect Yourself and your Employees
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Webinar Goals Identify the impact of slips, trips and falls in
the workplace.
Recognize the various types of slips, trips and falls.
Recognize the OSHA regulations and other industry standards relating to slips, trips and falls.
Recognize the slip, trip and fall hazards. Identify actions you can take to prevent slips,
trips and falls.
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Did You Know
Over 275,000 occupational injuries were caused by slips,
trips and falls in 2008.
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Did You Know
Nearly 800 occupational deaths were caused by
falls in 2008.
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14 work days were lost due to falls to a lower level.
9 work days were lost due to falls on the same level.
7 work days were lost due to slips and trips.
Did You Know
In the year 2008, a median of . . .
.
Did You Know
In the years 2007-2008 . . .
The average workers’ compensation cost for a
slip/trip/fall was $21,500
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Did You Know
In the years 2007-2008 . . .
The average incurred workers’ compensation cost per trip/slip/fall
exceeded the average cost of other injuries by 14%.
Slips, Trips & Falls (STF)• STF’s represents #1 cause of injury after motor vehicle accidents
• STF’s occur in any part of the workplace whether inside
or outside.
• STF’s may result in serious outcomes
• STF’s cost to both worker and employer can be great
• STF’s is like stepping on money
To Worker: To Employer:
•pain•lost wages•temporary or permanent disability•reduced quality of life•depression
•loss in productivity and business•increased worker’s compensation premiums•costs associated with training replacement worker•cost of medical treatment
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Definitions
Slip
Trip
Loss of balance when there is too little friction
between the foot and the floor
Loss of balance when the foot collides with,
strikes or hits an object in its path
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Definitions
To move downward,
typically rapidly and freely, from a higher to a lower
level
Fall
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Definitions
Friction
The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over
another
The resistance between the shoe and the walking
surface
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Definitions
A measurement that indicates how slippery a floor is under dry conditions
1-16
Coefficient of Friction
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Examples of COF
If it takes 6 pounds of force to move a 10 pound object, then:
6 (horizontal force)
10 (vertical force)
the coefficient of friction (COF) is 0.6. This is considered by
floor experts to be a safe rating.
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Examples of COF
If it takes 2 pounds of force to move a 10 pound object, then:
2 (horizontal force)
10 (vertical force)
the COF is 0.2. This is considered by floor experts to be an unsafe, slippery rating.
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Static Coefficient of Friction—the force required to initiate relative motion between an object and a surface it is resting on
Dynamic Coefficient of Friction—the force required to keep a sliding object in motion once sliding has begun
Two Types of COF
Slips
• Causes:o Slippery surfaceso Wearing the wrong footwear
• Two types of slips during normal walking:o As the heel of the forward foot contacts the walking
surface, the foot slips forward, and the person falls backward.
o The rear foot slips backward, and the person falls.
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Slips Cont…
• Friction is the force that allows someone to walk without slipping.
• Traction is the adhesive force between the walking surface and the sole of the shoe
• The higher the friction, the better the traction:o Low traction: icy, wet, oily, or waxed surfaceso Higher traction: dry concrete or other dry surfaces
• Use of slip resistant footwear can reduce slips and the resultant falls and injuries.
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Trips
• Cause: o Sudden stop caused by foot striking an
object, throwing the upper body forward.
• Examples:o Un-level walking surfaces, even as
minor a difference as 3/8 incheso A slight difference in a stair can cause a
fall up the stairs
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Trips Cont…
• Step and fallo Front foot lands lower than expected (i.e.
stepping off a curb)o Normally falls forwardo Turning an ankle results from stepping on an
uneven surface
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Common types of STF Injuries:
• Sprains, strains
• Bruises, contusions
• Fractures
• Abrasions, lacerations
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Commonly affected Body Parts:
• Knee, Ankle, Foot
• Wrist, Elbow
• Back
• Shoulder
• Hip
• Head
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Recognizing Slip, Trip and Fall Hazards
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OSHA Regulatory Requirements
Voluntary Consensus Standards NFPA ANSI ASTM NFSI
Individual State Building Codes
Regulations and Standards
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Responding to incidents when they occur
Putting out fires
Taking corrective action after an incident occurs
Placing blame after an incident
Fixing symptoms
Reactive or Proactive
ProactiveReactive
Identifying hazards before they cause an incident
Correcting systems Taking corrective
action before an incident occurs
Finding root causes after an incident
Fixing problems
Many STF Events Can Be Many STF Events Can Be PreventedPrevented
•According to the U. S. Department of Labor, slips, trips, and falls make up the majority of general industry accidents.
•25% of reported w/c claims per fiscal year are due to STF
•Over 17% of all disabling work injuries are the result of falls
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Risk Factor CategoriesEnvironment Equipment
Work Practices Individual
Risks in the work environment
Risks inherent in the equipment employees use
Risks that are caused by work requirements, processes or procedures
Risks unique to the individual, including
inherent characteristics, habits and behavior
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Where Do Hazards Lurk
Human Factors Increasing the Risk of Slips, Trips and Falls
Health and physical condition can impair a person’s vision, judgment, and balance.
- Eyesight, visual perception- Age- Physical state, fatigue- Stress, illness-Medications, alcohol, drug
Behaviours – actions you choose and control can contribute to a slip, trip, and fall injury if you set yourself up for one.
Carrying or moving cumbersome objects, or too many objects, that obstruct your view impair your balance and prevent you from holding onto handrails
Poor housekeeping (allowing clutter to accumulate, not maintaining clean dry floors, etc.)
Using improper cleaning methods (e.g., incorrectly using wax or polish; or trying to clean up grease spill with water)
Not using signage when slip or trip hazards exist
Inattentive Behavior: walking, distractions (e.g., using cell phone, talking and not watching where you’re going, etc.)
Taking shortcuts; not using walkways or designated, cleared pathways; being in a hurry, rushing around
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Elevated Falls vs. Same Level Falls
• Same LevelMore Frequent
Less Severe
Usually involves slips or trips
• Elevated Less Frequent
More Severe
Involves Striking an object during a fall
Over 60% are from less than 10 ft.
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Evaluating Slip, Trip and Fall Hazards
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Causes of Slips, Trips and Falls
Flooring50%
Footwear24%
Failure towarn 9%
Training7%
Fraud10%
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Floor material Floor finish Floor texture and pattern Floor slope Floor contaminants Floor condition Environmental conditions Footwear of person Footstep of person
Factors of Floor Slipperiness
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The James Machine
Photo used with permission from the National Floor Safety Institute
A machine that measures the static coefficient of friction of a floor finish. This is the measure of how slip resistant a finish is. Also known as ASTM test method D2047. The sufficient James Machine reading to indicate slip resistance is 0.5 or greater.
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Horizontal Drag Meter
Photo used with permission from the National Floor Safety Institute
This machine, a drag sled, measures the point at which a horizontal force acting upon a resting object first causes the object to move. For consistent results, the horizontal pulling force is applied through a small motor connected by nylon cord. May be used on wet surfaces.
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BOT-3000
Photo used with permission from the National Floor Safety Institute
Portable tribometer designed to provide readings relating to static and dynamic coefficient of friction on both wet and dry surfaces.
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Portable Inclinable Articulated Strut
Photo used with permission from the National Floor Safety Institute
A portable inclinable articulated strut slip tester (PIAST) measures friction at the shoe and floor interface.
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English XL
Photo used with permission from the National Floor Safety Institute
The English XL measures the static coefficient of friction (SCOF) of a particular surface, either dry, wet or in the presence of contaminants in order to determine the relative safeness of the surface in relation to the accepted standards adopted by ASTM, ANSI, and UL.
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General Rule
Slips and trips happen frequently, but tend not to be
severe.
Falls happen infrequently, but
tend to be severe.
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Controlling Slips, Trips and Falls
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Engineering Controls
Controls that are engineered into the job—most important type of
control
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Types of Engineering Controls Redesign of equipment Substitution of a material,
equipment or process Change of process to
minimize slips, trips and falls Use of barriers to isolate a
hazard Use of barriers to isolate a
person
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Making Floors Slip Resistant
Apply slip-resistant
floor treatments.
Use floor mats.
Apply floor skid strips to steps and stair
nosings.
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Administrative Controls
Controls that change the way people do their jobs—only effective
when people do what they are supposed to do
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Types of Administrative Controls
Education and training Signage Adjusting work schedules or
rotating assignments to reduce exposure
Maintenance Good housekeeping Contracting specialized services
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Personal Protective Equipment
Controls that protect people from the hazard rather than eliminate the
hazard
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Types of PPE Slip-resistant shoes Fall arrest equipment Hard hats Goggles Nets Roll bars Safety platforms
Opportunity for Questions
Save 10,000 lives and prevent 1 million injuries by 2014
©2009
Contact Info:
W. E. Scott PhD, PEManager, Consulting
ServicesNational Safety CouncilOffice: 630-775-2382
Email: [email protected]©2009
References• National Safety Council
http://www.nsc.org
• National Floor Safety Institute http://www.nfsi.org/
• American National Standards Institute http://www.ansi.org/
• OSHA http://www.osha.gov
• NIOSH http: //www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html
©2009
