Manufacturing-slips, trips and falls
A 16-year-old school student undergoing a Workplace Structured Learning Program at an engineering workplace had three fingers on his left hand severely crushed (two of these fingers have since been amputated). The student was in the process of cutting when he slipped, lost his balance and fell forward, inadvertently placing three fingers into the operational area of the machine. At this time the student accidentally activated the foot control, bringing the machine’s clamping device down and crushing his fingers.
A worker was working next to an unenclosed spray booth. He slipped on the water and fell down the stairs onto concrete, breaking his wrist in two places. There was no guard rail and the steps were smooth.
If you're hurt at work, it’ll probably be due to a slip, trip or a fall.
What's going to cause you to slip or trip or fall at work?
- uneven floor surfaces
- steps and different floor levels
- equipment and trolleys left in the way
- clothing caught on furniture or appliances
- poor lighting
- wearing the wrong shoes
- slippery floors
What's going to cause you to fall?
- wrong use of steps or ladders
- exposure to chemicals that make you lose your balance
- being hit by a moving object
How can you prevent slips, trips or falls at work?
- clean up your workplace so there is nothing to fall over
- clean up spills straight away
- use mats on slippery floors
- have ramps instead of steps
- wear the right shoes for work
Want to know more about slips, trips and falls?