Some workplace environments are more challenging and
dangerous than others and it is often the case that a factory offers more
opportunities for accidents compared to an office, for example, which is why
everyone has to be particularly vigilant when it comes to safety practices.
Slip and fall accidents are commonplace in such working
environments but a percentage of these incidents could have been prevented with
robust safety measures in place.
Here is a look at some of the proactive ways you can help to prevent a slip and fall accident from occurring.
Spillages are a major
problem
When something goes wrong with an item of machinery and it
causes liquids or other potentially hazardous and dangerous substances to
escape that will instantly create a health and safety threat to anyone working
in that immediate environment.
The use of way covers can help to protect moving machine
parts and offers a line of defense against mechanical pinch points, deflecting
liquids away from critical areas and containing the issue more effectively than
if the machinery did not any way covers or bellows.
The Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) is
just one of the organizations that offer guidance on legislation and you can
find detailed instructions relating to common hazards that could provide the
framework for your safety handbook, including details on how to best contain
spillages.
A tidy workplace
One of the best ways to prevent an accident is to continually
monitor your working environment and look for issues that could cause an
accident to happen.
This means checking for cables that are exposed and could be
a trip hazard, ensuring that walkways are as even as possible, keeping clutter
and debris away from areas where it could create a slip or trip risk, and
making sure that there are no obstacles that could create unnecessary danger to
workers.
An untidy workplace and poor lighting is also a potentially
lethal combination so make sure that all access areas and walkways are well
lit.
The risk of falls
Trips are bad enough but falls from any sort of height can
often have disastrous consequences for those involved.
Classic health and safety violations include unprotected
edges, holes, and openings that are not adequately signposted or protected, and
poorly positioned ladders or a basic lack of understanding when it comes to
safety procedures when working at heights.
Encourage workers to always pay attention to their
surroundings and report any potentially hazardous scenarios before an accident
happens.
Changing floor surfaces
What can often catch people out is when they move from one
type of surface to another when moving around their workplace and they don’t
anticipate or are not equipped to deal with the new environment they are
entering.
If your flooring lacks the same basic degree of traction in
all areas this will increase the risk of a slip.
Encountering a wet or oily floor surface followed by loose or
unanchored matting is going to create a hazardous situation, so aim to create
an element of uniformity around the factor flooring and make sure that everyone
is wearing suitable footwear to deal with these challenges.
Accidents can and do happen every day in the
workplace but with a proactive approach to health and safety and some basic
precautions in place, you can help to reduce the prospect of an incident taking
place.
