Call it what you Like

An Incident or Accident
But Slips trips and falls are totally
preventable

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Preventing Indoor/Outdoor Slips and
Falls

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 What Are Slips and Trips?
• A slip occurs when, upon heel contact, a heel
slide occurs that causes unbalance and a
potential fall Usually backward.
• A trip occurs when the foot strikes a near
ground obstacle that abruptly arrests the
movement of the foot when the body’s center
of gravity is in motion Usually forward.

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 Trip Hazards

• “toe clearance” between the limb advancement or swing

phase of the gait cycle and the highest projection of the
walking surface.
• any change in elevation of over ¼” (approximately 0.64 cm)
as a potential “tripping hazard.”
• stair heights not vary more than ¼” across a given flight
• Provide visual cues and warnings (e.g., color or brightness
contrast) for higher changes in elevation

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 Age, Vision
• Bifocals focus on closer objects through the
lower portion of the lense.
• Changes in elevation are distorted.
• loss in both depth perception and edge
contrast sensitivity
• wearers of multifocal glasses are more than
twice as likely to fall

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• ClimatesFalls Affect Everyone
• Geographic Regions

Same Level Falls 59% Male 41% Female

Falls from Elevation 79% Male 21% Female

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 Disciplines Involved In Slips and Falls

• Tribology
• Ergonomics
• Biomechanics
• Psychology
• Others
Slips and falls are complicated problems!

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 Tribology
• The study of the interaction of sliding surfaces
• It includes three subjects:
– Friction
– Lubrication
– Wear

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 Events in Human Walking Related to
Slips and Falls
Multiple image
photograph of a
dangerous slip
starting at peak 3

• Heel strike — an impact phenomena

• Microslip (0–3cm) — undetected
• Slip (3–10cm) — aware of slipping and take corrective
action
• Slide (> 10cm) — uncontrolled forward movement leads to
falls
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 Same Level Falls

• Most inside falls are caused by

slipperiness related to:
– Faulty Housekeeping
• Dirt, grease, or contamination on floors
– Defects
• Slippery floor dressing or finish
• Inappropriate floor surface material
• Surface wear
• Uneven or damaged surface
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 Falls from Stairs
• Slips and falls from stairs can be caused by:
– Faulty Housekeeping
• Objects, water, or grease on stairs or landings
– Defects
• No handrail
• Handrail at improper height
• Improper tread or riser dimensions
• Tread surface material

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 Other Major Causes of Slip/Falls
• Poor footwear traction
– Inappropriate shoe sole tread pattern
– Inappropriate sole material for environment
• Poor lighting
• Environment

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 Parameters Affecting Friction
• Contaminants on the floor
• Floor surface material
• Surface finish on the floor
• Shoe sole material
• Surface finish on shoe
• Tread pattern on footwear

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 Parameters Affecting Friction
• Humidity
• Human gait
• Temperature

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 Measuring Slip Resistance

• The Safety group owns a meter that can

measure the slipperiness of a floor
• You can request a survey

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 Potential Dangerous Spots
• Transition areas
• Unexpected changes in environment
• Distractions
• Contaminants
• Lighting and temperature
• Ramps

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 Slips and Falls Prevention
• Housekeeping program
• Floor mats
• Floor treatments
• Selecting floor surface materials
• Footwear

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 Housekeeping: Floor Cleaning

Watch out for wet/waxed floors

Proper Time and

Frequency of Cleaning What areas are
most critical

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 Housekeeping: Others
• Training of employees
– Keep main aisles clear and clean
– If you drop it, pick it up
– If you spill it, wipe it up
– Go where you’re looking, and look where you’re
going

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 Floor Mats
• Benefits:
– Use at entrances and in high contamination areas
– Traps moisture and debris
– Scrapes and absorbs moisture, snow, sand from
footwear
– Reduces floor maintenance costs by protecting
the floor surface and finish

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 Floor Mats

• Need mats that both abrade and absorb

• Mats of sufficient running length and width
– Snow: 10 - 12 walking steps
– Rain: 8 - 10 walking steps
– Dry: 6 - 8 walking steps
• Quick exchange of mats when wet or dirty
• Should be contrasting color to floor and affixed
so as not to create another fall hazard

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 Floor Surface Materials
• Concrete
• Tile
– Ceramic
– Quarry
– Porcelain
– Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT)
– Marble
– Others

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 Other Floor Surface Materials
• Carpeting
– Inherently slip resistant
– Aesthetically pleasing
– Some carpets are “spill resistant”
– Modular carpeting squares allow quick
replacement in areas which can become soiled
easily

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 Footwear
• Choose the appropriate shoe for weather
conditions.
• If you perform field work, close toe shoes and
or safety shoes are required.

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 Curbs, Parking, Sidewalks, Entrances

Ground and Floor Surfaces and The Americans with Disabilities Act
Accessibility Guide (ADAAG):

• Changes in level up to 1/4 in (6 mm) may be vertical and

without edge treatment.

• Changes in level between 1/4 in and 1/2 in (6 mm and 13 mm)

shall be beveled with a slope no greater than 1:2.

• Changes in level greater than 1/2 in (13 mm) shall be

accomplished by means of a ramp. The maximum slope of a
ramp in new construction shall be 1:12.

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 Ice and Snow Recommendations

Plan for pre-weather prevention

Use lots of melting solution
Check the surface regularly
Aim for evaporation and DRY surface
Use a friction additive
Check and treat every morning

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 Ice Awareness
• Report any area that is slippery
• Wear shoes with good traction
• Be alert of invisible ice
• Walk on cleared pathways
• Allow extra time

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 Outdoor Lighting
Inadequate lighting can cause falls over curbs,
steps, cracks etc.

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 Parking Lots and Sidewalks
• Maintain a level surface
• Fill and patch cracks and holes
• Gradual height changes

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 Slip/Fall Hazard Identification
• Do periodic self-inspections to look for
slip/trip/fall hazards or risk factors. Make a
checklist listing your cause factors based on
your accidents. Eliminate exposures before
they can cause an accident.

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 Summary
• Slips and falls are a big problem
• Slip and fall accidents attributed to:
– Faulty housekeeping
– Defects
– Lack of traction
– Lighting
– Overall, ineffective slip and fall safety program

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 Summary
• Prevention therefore needs to address all:
– Selection of floor surface material
– Maintenance and housekeeping
– Prompt removal of contaminants
– Footwear
– Selection and use of floor mats
– Training and accountability!

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 If your really want to stop it
• Do your hazard assessments
• Scan your worksite for hazards
• Apply good house keeping and put up barriers
around hazards and apply

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