Most people may think about jobs with an obvious element of danger, such as the construction or roofing industries, when the subject of falls in the workplace comes up. While it is true that some industries have a higher incidence of falls than others, getting hurt from a fall on the job can happen in any setting. Wisconsin residents may protect themselves by considering the ways they might slip, trip or fall at their job.
Falls are one of the top causes of workplace injuries and fatalities, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and construction leads other industries in fall incidents. In 2016, 991 people across the United States were killed by workplace fall accidents, and 38.7 percent of these fatalities occurred in the construction industry.
Retail, wholesale and health services are other high-risk industries for falls, explain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While some employees might fall from a great height, such as losing one’s balance on a scaffold or stepping into an empty elevator shaft, others might get injured by falling off a stepladder when stocking a shelf, slipping on liquid spilled in a grocery store aisle or tripping over a power cord in an office.
The best way to protect against a fall on the job is to take the appropriate safety measures. Workers should understand safety protocols specific to their job assignments and refrain from taking unnecessary risks, such as climbing onto a chair instead of a stepping stool to change a lightbulb. It is also wise to keep walkways clear of obstacles that can be tripped over, to place mats over slippery areas, to clean up spills and to place warning signs on a wet floor.
