This video is normally available to paying customers.
You may unlock this video for FREE. Enter your email address for instant access AND to receive ongoing updates and special discounts related to this topic.
The Oxford Dictionary defines a fall as “to fall from a higher to a lower level or suddenly stop standing” and there are many ways that falls can happen in the workplace. However, falls tend to have a higher fatality rate than slips or trips, with 25% of all work-related deaths being fall-related. Falls though, can normally be prevented, and taking the following steps can help:
Slips and trips can result in falls occurring, meaning if you reduce the risk of slips and trips, you can indirectly also reduce the risk of falls. Also, installing banisters in high-risk places for falls, such as by stairs or where the level changes, can help people to steady themselves.
Railings can also prevent people from falling from higher places to lower places. When railings and banisters are installed, they should be at the correct height, otherwise they could actually pose more of a risk to health and safety. An example could be having a railing which is not quite tall enough, and someone leans on it and inadvertently goes over the top of it anyway.
Proper lighting will also aid in preventing slips, trips and falls, as people will be able to better see where they are going, to see any obstructions and therefore be able to avoid them.
