November is slips, trips, and falls prevention month and what better way to bring attention to this safety concern than to discuss important tips to reduce the risk of injury from one of these actions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 38.4% of deaths in the construction industry in 2022 were due to falls, slips, and trips. How can you protect yourself while on the job or at home?
Tips:
Wear footwear designed to reduce slip accidents.
This would generally be footwear with adequate grips along the sole. Over time your soles can be worn down so it’s important to check them regularly and replace your footwear when they start to lose their grip.
Keep floors dry.
Pay attention to the weather and be prepared for rain and snow. It is helpful to have mats inside entryways to collect excess water on rainy or snowy days and reduce puddles from spreading around inside.
Clean up spills and puddles as soon as possible and utilize caution signs when a slip risk occurs.
Watch for ice in the winter months and proceed with caution when walking outside, especially when carrying objects.
Consider bringing a separate set of footwear for the inside to make sure your soles stay dry.
Remove clutter.
Keep a clean space. Pick up misplaced objects like shoes, bags, tools, toys, etc. and try not to leave items lying around (especially in walkways).
Provide adequate lighting.
Poor lighting can make it difficult to see some spills and puddles, it can make it difficult to see objects that could be tripped over, and a misstep walking up or down stairs can occur when it’s hard to see your footing.
Use handrails or utilize extra caution where handrails are unavailable.
Everyone should know the importance of handrails, they help you keep balance when walking or climbing and can be used to grab or hold if you slip, trip, or begin to fall. Unfortunately, handrails are not always available, especially if your home is having work done and they may not have been installed yet.
When a handrail is missing, consider other safety options such as attaching temporary rope handrails along steps to hold onto or to serve as a reminder of a ledge to help you from having an accidental fall from steps that are under construction.
Conduct safety inspections.
Check your home periodically for trip hazards like loose carpeting, framing that is coming loose, or broken floor tiles. Check for loose railings on your steps inside your home or at your entryway and make sure lofts and raised landings have some kind of rail or wall to reduce the risk of an accidental fall.
Final thoughts:
While many of these concepts seem like basic knowledge, it is easy to get comfortable in our day to day lives and forget to look out for these risks. The Green Grampy cares about safety, which is why Green Grampy’s Home and Office Solutions, LLC is now offering swift response handyman work for those small fixes that you need help on. Visit www.swiftsolutionsnh.com to register with us as a VIP and get those safety hazards taken care of asap.
