How can you prevent falls from happening at work?

When you’re on the job, it’s crucial that you stay safe. If you get hurt, you could lose your ability to work. Yes, you have workers’ compensation to cover you, but even then your income won’t be what it once was.

One good way to help prevent accidents on the job is to make sure you understand good fall protection procedures. Falls are a leading cause of workplace injuries. By reducing the risk of falls, you can help ensure that fewer people will end up with life-changing injuries.

What can you do to prevent falls in the workplace?

The first thing you can do is to teach everyone in the workplace about falls and safety techniques. For example, training people to pick up things off the floor and to set out a wet-floor sign if there are spills may prevent serious accidents in the future.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also sets requirements. For instance, did you know that employers have to provide personal protective equipment at no cost to you or other coworkers? Your employer also has to provide a safe work environment and keep the floors clean and dry (as much as possible in your workplace).

Employers should make sure that any open holes are covered. For example, floor holes should have a railing and toe-board across them. Guard rails should be installed in high places and areas where workers could fall. Guardrails and toe boards are required around any dangerous equipment that an employee could fall into.

These are just a few things that can help prevent accidents and falls in the workplace. Keeping employees safe is a constant job, but it’s one that’s worth the effort.

Source: United States Department of Labor, “Fall Protection,” accessed Feb. 23, 2018