Falls on the same level are the third leading cause of preventable injuries resulting in cases with days away from work.
According to the National Safety Council, in 2020, 136 workers died and 127,680 were injured from falls on the same level. Nearly 39,000 workers reported injuries to their lower extremities, primarily their knees. Another 32,200 cases cited injuries to the employee’s upper extremities, mainly involving shoulders and arms. The most common result of these non-fatal injuries is pain or soreness to the affected area, but multiple injuries including fractures, strains and sprains, cuts, are also common.
Identify, mitigate, and eliminate any trip and slip hazards in your work area today!
Understand the Risks:
- In 2020, 74 out of 136 workers who died from a fall on the same level, died as a result of a head injury.
- Knee, shoulder, and back injuries were most common among non-fatal falls on the same level.
Keys to Keep You Safe:
- Practice good housekeeping – keep work areas and walkways clear of debris and clutter and make sure materials are neatly stacked, out of the way.
- Make sure to protect your head – wear you hard hat and adjust it to fit snugly so it will stay on your head during a fall on the same level.
- Stay fit and stretch during your workday – this will reduce the risk of strain and sprain injuries and healing time may decrease for more fit individuals.
- Wear proper footwear – proper footwear will help keep you sturdy and provide better traction.
- Clean all spills immediately – send someone to retrieve a spill clean-up kit and guard the area where the spill occurred to keep others away from the slip hazard.
- Pre-treat outdoor surfaces to protect workers from icy walkways – preventing ice from forming is best, pre-treat outdoor surfaces using a de-icing salt.