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Slips, Trips, and Falls: Protect Your Employees from Preventable Injuries

Slip and fall dangers are present in every workplace. When drafting your safety plans and protocols for most settings, it’s easy to focus on the more dramatic and dangerous hazards like fire safety, emergency training, or first aid. However, slips, trips, and falls are the second most common cause of injury at work. Shockingly, about 20-30% of people who experience a fall at work will suffer a moderate to severe injury, like deep bruising, a bone fracture, or a concussion.

Slips, trips, and fall hazards are sometimes easy to overlook because they tend to pop up unexpectedly. To maintain a safe workplace and protect your workers from preventable fall-related injuries, your safety plan should include strong protocols for footwear, signage, and housekeeping with training guidance and enforcement policies that instill safe attitudes and compliance within your employees.

OSHA Guidelines on Slips Trips and Falls

OSHA doesn’t have a set regulation about slips, trips, and falls, specifically. Instead, the bulk of the guidelines for this issue are contained in 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D Walking-Working Surfaces .  This section of the Code of Federal Regulation covers both same-level falls and elevated falls, though, for this article, we will focus on same-level falls.

This important guidance went through a major overhaul in 2017 to better protect workers from hazards by adding important inspection requirements, clarifying standards, and aligning the guidance from 29 CFR 1910 General Industry with 29 CFR 1926 Construction as much as possible.

Another regulation that applies to slips, trips, and falls is 29 CFR 1910.36 and 37 Means of Egress which covers exit route safety. This standard outlines guardrail requirements, the importance of level walkways, and ice removal from exits to prevent slips.

Hazard Definitions

When we walk, our center of gravity shifts from side-to-side as we transfer our weight. With every step, there is a brief moment where our body is off-balance. When we encounter a slip or trip hazard at this moment, it can lead to a sudden fall.

Slips and trips both lead to falls. However, the difference between a slip and a trip hazard is specific and well-defined.

A slip occurs when there is too little traction between your foot and the surface that can cause a sudden loss of balance and potential fall. Slips occur on wet or oily surfaces, floors covered in fine dust or powder, or on ice.

A trip occurs when your foot or leg comes in contact with a hazard while walking. The momentum from the upper body continues to move while the tripped leg stays stationary for a moment, causing your body to fall. Trips can also occur when a person steps up or down and the surface is uneven or not at the height they expected.

When a slip or trip causes your center of gravity to shift unexpectedly, sometimes it isn’t possible to correct before the body collapses. This is when a fall has taken place.

There are two types of falls: Same level falls and elevated falls. A same level fall is when a person falls to the floor or against an object or wall. An elevated fall is when a person falls from above or below the floor, like from a ladder, scaffold, building, or into a hole.

Trip and Fall Prevention

The best way to protect your workers from these hazards is to prevent them whenever possible. Since slip and trip hazards often appear suddenly from hazards like spills or loose cables, everyone must remain vigilant to protect one another. It is the employer’s role to provide a safe workplace for all employees, so a watchful eye must always be maintained.

Proper footwear is of the utmost importance to prevent slips and trips. This means shoes like sandals, open-toed shoes, canvas shoes, or high heels should be avoided in workplaces that often deal with slippery or uneven surfaces. Non-slip shoes or waterproof footwear can help your workers safely navigate wet or slick surfaces easily.

In-office environments where some workers choose to wear heels or sneakers, there are still precautions to take for proper footwear. Check for uneven surfaces or rugs that may snag a high heel and be sure to encourage that all employees keep their shoes snugly tied.

When a trip hazard or spill is present, signage is a great way to bring awareness to the new hazard. The trouble is many companies tend to leave their spill signs up far after the hazard is resolved or store it where it becomes part of the daily scenery.

When a sign is seen frequently, it becomes visual noise to your employees. It’s best practice to only put these signs out during the moment of danger and remove it as soon as the hazard is resolved.

Clean up spills and keep floors dry

Some of the most common causes of slips are workplace spills and wet floors. Whether the surface is wet from an accident or freshly mopped, always put out a sign as soon as possible to navigate your workers away from the wet surface. If there was a spill, it’s crucial to clean it up as soon as possible.

In wet environments like kitchens, it’s best practice to put down something to improve traction like anti-skid tape or slip-resistant mats.

Housekeeping

Anything in a walking path that could catch a foot or cause a loss of traction is a potential slip or trip hazard. Cables across walkways, paper on the floor, boxes, or hoses can all cause a dangerous accident. Items should never be left on the floor and it is important for employers to continuously check for hazardous clutter.

Encourage frequent cleaning of all work areas, including a company culture that closes drawers, puts boxes away, and hides cables in protective covers if they must extend into walking areas.

Proper lighting

Especially when navigating uneven or wet surfaces, your employees need their workplaces to be well lit to avoid falls. If they can’t see the dangers around them, how can they be expected to avoid them? Adequate lighting is required not only on the work floor, but anywhere your employees are expected to walk including stairs, halls, ramps, and exits.

Plans and protocols

Each of these methods of prevention should be written in your safety plan as company protocol that each worker has easy access to. For your slips, trips, and falls safety plan to work well, each employee must maintain a safe attitude during their daily work and act on resolving any slip or trip hazards in their area. 

Importance of slips, trips, and falls training

Proper training for hazard awareness is the most effective way to avoid slip or trip injuries. Any safety orientation training or refresher course should include a reminder of the types of slip or trip hazards your workers may encounter at your facility, as well as how to safely navigate them.

Creating a culture of safety can help each worker feel comfortable pointing out a potential hazard and act on protocols to prevent injuries or incidents without hesitation. Help your workers recognize these hazards confidently with clear and frequent training. If incidents in your facility do occur, reevaluate your safety plan after you conduct an incident investigation to find methods to improve your implementation of crucial slip, trip, and fall prevention.

Ready to prevent slips, trips, and falls in your workplace? NSC makes training easy.

Our all-in-one video training kit on Slips, Trips, and Falls are available for General Industry or Construction and come with everything you need to train your employees.

5 thoughts on “ Slips, Trips, and Falls: Protect Your Employees from Preventable Injuries ”

[…] debris lying around which can cause some people to trip and fall on their faces. Even OSHA itself doesn’t have set rules and regulations that specifically deal with slips trips, and […]

[…] safety hazards in the warehouse industry include falls, trips and slips along with overexertion and falling objects. Another major hazard is not having enough workers to […]

[…] can prevent slips and falls by ensuring that all floor strips are cleaned and maintained so that they do not become a hazard. […]

[…] National Safety Compliance defines “trips” as falling due to a hazard on the floor. For instance, if you’re walking and suddenly […]

[…] slip and fall accident occurs when an individual slips, trips, or falls on someone else’s property. Many of these […]

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Don't get tripped up by OSHA's walking-working surfaces standard

Date posted: 05/08/2019.

OSHA's  Walking-working surfaces  standard,  29 CFR 1910.22 , addresses workplace hazards that cause slip, trip, and falls. The standard focuses on proactive safety management — meaning that OSHA expects employers to find and fix workplace hazards BEFORE they become an issue. OSHA says exposure to these types of hazards pose a "significant risk" of death or serious harm to workers.

The requirements under Subpart D, "Walking-Working Surfaces," provide employers with the flexibility to decide which fall protection method or system works best for the work operation. OSHA says that these multiple options, along with required  inspections  and  training , will help employers prevent and eliminate walking-working surface hazards.

What is a walking-working surface?

They are surfaces like floors, aisles, stairs, ladders, roofs, platforms, dockboards, and more. When you identify walking-working surface hazards, they must be eliminated with proactive measures such as use of  fall protection . Fall protection includes using: covers, designated areas, guardrails, handrails, personal fall protection systems, ladder safety systems, and safety nets.

The standard requires employers to conduct regular inspections to identify and mitigate slips, trips and fall hazards. Things to keep in mind while performing these inspections include:

• Passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces must be kept clean, orderly, and sanitary.
• Walking-working surfaces must have a proper load rating to safely support loads applied to it.
• If a corrective action or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface.
• False floors, platforms, and mats must be provided when wet processes are used.
• Workroom floors must be kept clean and dry.
• Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces must be corrected or repaired before an employee can use it again.
• Employers must provide safe access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces.
• Protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice are not allowed on walking-working surfaces.
• Only a qualified person can repair structural integrity issues on a walking-working surface.

How Safety Management Suite Can Help

Many OSHA standards require your employer to provide training to workers, including this standard. Training should occur initially at new hire orientation and thereafter on an ongoing basis. Walking-working surfaces training topics include: hazard identification, fall protection use, ladder safety, scaffold-user safety, and stairway requirements.

In addition to your site-specific training, you can find classroom training materials in the J. J. Keller® SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE . The training feature offers online training courses in English and Spanish to enhance or jump start your site-specific training. You can also use the Workplace Inspections in SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE to customize your walking-working surface inspections.

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Causes of falls: environment, equipment, and behaviors, proposed rule to address stair rail height confusion, to help reduce slips and falls, check the floor material, faqs on walking-working surfaces.

Understanding OSHA Regulations for Trip and Fall Hazards in the Workplace

Workplace safety isn’t just a good idea-it’s the law. In industries where the risk of trip and fall hazards is substantial, strict regulations exist to safeguard employees.

The fines for non-compliance can be hefty, but more importantly, adherence to these rules saves lives and prevents injuries. Below are the key OSHA-mandated practices your organization needs to have in place to prevent falls and protect your team.

Table of Contents

Uneven Surfaces

Spills and clutter, poor lighting, improper footwear, fines and penalties, worker’s compensation, productivity loss, routine hazard assessments, barrier installation, safety training, maintenance protocols, immediate response, medical referral, incident investigation, understanding your rights, filing a claim, maximum settlements, reputation and experience, local expertise, client testimonials, proactive prevention, follow this guide to adhere to osha regulations for trip and fall hazards in your workplace, identifying common hazards.

The first step to a safer workplace is to carefully find potential hazards. Below are some of the most frequently encountered dangers:

Hazards, like cracked sidewalks, uneven floors, and loose tiles, can easily cause trips. They can trip even the most cautious employees. Proactively identifying and promptly repairing these surfaces is crucial for preventing accidents.

Spills in the break room and unattended boxes in hallways are commonplace. But, they pose significant trip hazards.

These are among the most preventable risks that, surprisingly, occur frequently. Implementing strict cleanliness and storage policies can help mitigate these dangers.

Areas with inadequate lighting can hide hazards that are noticeable in well-lit conditions. Ensuring regular maintenance and conducting thorough lighting audits can help mitigate these risks.

Employees need the right footwear for their jobs. These might be non-slip shoes for wet areas or steel-toed boots for construction sites. Good footwear reduces falls.

The Cost of Negligence

Knowing the cost of workplace accidents can motivate people to follow safety rules and OSHA guidelines. Here are key considerations:

Violations of OSHA standards , especially those related to fall hazards, can lead to hefty fines and penalties. Adherence to these regulations is not only a matter of legal compliance but also a financial imperative to avoid such costs.

Injuries resulting from falls can lead to significant worker’s compensation claims. This creates financial strain on the company’s resources and negatively affecting the bottom line.

The direct costs of accidents are often accompanied by indirect costs such as:

• downtime for investigations
• recovery periods for injured employees
• decline in team morale

All these can adversely affect overall productivity.

Fall Safety Protocols

Following OSHA’s fall safety rules through practical steps can greatly improve workplace safety. Here are some strategies:

Regular walk-throughs and safety inspections are good proactive approaches. They help find and fix hazards before they cause accidents.

Installing safety measures can prevent falls and save lives. They include:

• safety nets
• skylight screens

These measures are installed proactively in areas identified as high-risk.

Offer comprehensive education to employees about the risks associated with their specific roles. They must understand the importance of adhering to safety protocols. This can dramatically reduce the likelihood of accidents.

Develop and maintain a consistent schedule for the repair and upkeep of workplace infrastructure. This is vital in ensuring a safe and hazard-free working environment.

What to Do After an Accident

Preventing falls is crucial, but it’s only one aspect of a comprehensive safety strategy. Equally important are the procedures followed after a fall. These are critical to ensuring employee well-being and meeting legal requirements.

It’s vital that all staff are well-versed in the immediate actions to take following a fall. These steps include:

• securing the area to prevent incidents
• providing first aid if qualified
• reporting the incident to the appropriate personnel

After an accident, providing clear and accessible processes to receive medical help is essential. This not only aids in their recovery but also supports any potential workers’ compensation claims .

Conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of a fall is crucial. It’s not just about fulfilling a legal requirement. It’s an opportunity to uncover and address underlying issues, preventing future incidents.

The Role of Legal Representation

The complexities of navigating the aftermath of a slip-and-fall incident can be overwhelming. This makes legal representation a valuable resource. Here’s why:

A qualified legal team can provide invaluable guidance on your rights after a slip and fall injury. Their expertise ensures that you’re aware of your entitlements and the obligations of your employer.

The process of filing a claim can be daunting, with many legal intricacies. Legal experts can simplify the process, allowing you to focus on your recovery while they handle the legalities.

If a settlement succeeds, legal help is crucial to ensure you get the full slip and fall settlement amounts you’re due. This includes medical expenses and lost wages.

Find a Personal Injury Attorney

Finding the right legal support after an injury is paramount. Here’s how to find a reputable attorney:

Seek out attorneys with a proven track record in personal injury law, especially those with experience in slip and fall cases. Their past successes can give you confidence in their ability to handle your case.

Choosing local attorneys can have significant advantages. They bring a deep understanding of state regulations and local legal nuances, which can be beneficial in navigating your case. For instance, if you work in Virginia, or specifically in Virginia Beach, then you should work with personal injury attorneys near Virginia Beach .

An attorney’s reputation can offer valuable insights into their dedication and effectiveness. Good reviews and referrals show their commitment. They aim for the best outcomes for their clients.

Viewing OSHA regulations as the minimum standard, not the goal, is key to creating a safer workplace. Proactive measures include regular safety meetings to discuss new measures and best practices.

Cultivating a safety-first culture transforms the workplace, with everyone committed to security. Encourage employees to voice concerns for a collaborative safety approach, making it a collective responsibility.

Following OSHA’s trip and fall rules avoids penalties. It also creates a secure, productive work environment for your team.

By understanding these rules and tailoring them to your organization’s needs, you show a commitment to safety. This commitment resonates with your team and stakeholders. Remember, a fall shouldn’t be the first sign you need to reinforce your safety measures-it should be the last.

For more insights and guidance on a range of other topics, we invite you to browse our blog.

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Slips, Trips, And Falls: Most Common Workplace Hazards

• Published on May 23, 2023
• Workplace Safety

Whether it’s a General or Construction Industry, occupational hazards are principal elements that can pose a severe life-threatening menace. Yet, when training amateur employees, supervisors often overlook slips, trips, and fall hazards and focus on other risks, such as controlling and preventing fire, electrical, and chemical exposure.

Despite knowing that Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates employers to protect workers against all potential workplace hazards and since the safety of everyone is paramount, slip, trip, and fall accidents occur, which put many workers at risk of serious injuries such as strains, cuts, bruises, fractures, and sprains and even in some cases lead to fatalities.

As per the records of OSHA, slips, trips, and falls are considered one of the top three reasons behind work-related injuries while managing day-to-day operations, particularly in the inherently dangerous construction industries. 

Let’s dive into the significant differences and factors of each of these hazards separately: 

Spills such as water, muck, grease, and oil.

Weather risks (such as ice and snow), unanchored, loose mats and carpets, floors made of marble, concrete, or ceramic tiles, brand-new waxed flooring or uneven pavements., leaping up ladders, clutter on the floor or wrinkly carpets or mats, obstructed view, dim lighting, uncovered cables, wires, hoses, and extension cords., missing bricks and floor tiles, broken, inconsistent or irregular steps, shaky or broken ladders, ledges lacking a suitable railing, carrying large items, failure to use scaffolding guardrails, ladders positioned riskily, equipment used improperly for height access., preventative measures:.

The best way to deal with accidents and injuries is to prevent them by implementing safety measures and planning strategies to assess the risks.

Below are  the seven best solutions to ensure safety against slips, trips, and falls on your job site.

Awareness and Discipline

It can be incorporated as part of the routine workday with a 10-minute briefing on the condition of the job site, pointing out wet surfaces, fall hazards, or other injury-prone hurdles present on the site.

Install adequate lighting

Performing tasks under dim lighting where hazardous substances are present can make it challenging to identify obstacles. Thus, investment in lighting showcasing possible dangers that can be avoided is necessary.

Put up safety hazard signage

Marking or securing locations of openings, holes, or spills deemed dangerous can save injuries and fatalities.

Get your hands on the correct footwear:

Slip-resistant footwear is a fantastic choice because it provides the finest traction on flat and uneven surfaces.

Maintain clear walking areas

Keep your work area free of loose items, gravel, garbage, equipment and tools that could prompt someone to trip or fall.

Institute Wet floor policy

Regularly inspect for leaks and spills, keep the necessary tools on hand for cleanup, put signage to mark the spills, and clear walkways once every 12 hours during snowfall or rain.

Statistics on Fatalities Caused by Slips, Trips and Falls

Trips, slips, and falls most frequently cause workplace injuries. It can result from sprains, strains, fractures, head injuries, and even death. 

occurrences of slips, trips, and falls were reported in 2020.

workers lost their lives in falls from high levels in 2020.

workers died in falls from the same level in 2020.

of all non-fatal workplace injuries are resulted from workers being struck-by objects or equipment while on the job.

of ladder-related fatalities occur in the construction sector.

of falls on the same level result from trips and slips altogether.

Significance of Enrolling in an Online Safety Training Course:

Although it is the employer’s utmost responsibility to provide entry-level workers with adequate safety training and teach them safety practices before employing them for the job, a worker should also be responsible enough to correctly identify slip, trip, and fall hazards that can potentially cause an injury before undertaking a task.

By enrolling in OSHA 30-Hour General Industry and OSHA 30-Hour Construction Industry pertinent to your particular industry, you will get adequate training on identifying, preventing, and controlling risks related to slips, trips, and falls, as well as other essential site safety topics. You can avert many possible mishaps by consistently following safety procedures.

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What is a Trip Hazard and 7 Steps to Avoid One

Worker safety is paramount in today’s ultra-competitive and fast-moving working environment. However, job sites expose team members to several risks, few more prevalent than a trip hazard.

Slips, trips, and falls are often common occurrences on the worksite and a cause of injury. Employers must recognize, assess, and remove trip hazards from the workplace to lower the risk of workplace injuries and provide an environment that encourages productive work.

This article defines a trip hazard and discusses seven strategies to identify, assess, and remove one.

What is a Trip Hazard?

A trip hazard occurs when a worker’s foot strikes or lands on something dangerous. These hazards include a sunken or elevated walkway, a sudden rise, a slippery surface, and other conditions.

7 Ways to Prevent a Trip Hazard

1. remove obstacles in walkways.

Injuries often occur when workers trip over objects – such as waste, building materials, and equipment – left in designated walkways on the worksite.

The best way to prevent this risk is to support proper cleanliness in busy work and traffic areas, which might include the following steps:

• Conduct periodic slip and trip hazard
• Avoid stringing cords, cables, or air hoses across walkways.
• Keep all work areas clean and orderly.

2. Maintain Floor Safety

Fall protection involves more than just cleaning up spills from the floor. It also entails paying attention to the surfaces’ standards for walking and working.

Changing the floor area can help ensure safety from trips, slips, and falls. The following suggested practices can help businesses improve the quality of their floors:

• Invest in non-slippery, durable flooring.
• Set up mats, pressure-sensitive abrasive strips, paint-on coatings with abrasives, and synthetic decking. They offer sufficient friction and lessen foot stress.
• Regularly check floors for dangers that could cause trips and falls, such as cracks, holes, missing blocks, and uneven surfaces.

3. Wear Proper Shoes

Footwear can have a significant impact on preventing falls, and safety teams should consider the following to avoid trip hazards:

• The type of heels worn
• How smooth the bottoms are
• How the shoelaces are tied

Additionally, when management reviews a fall-related injury, they must assess footwear worn at the time, decide if it played a role in the incidence, and require that workers switch to shoes that are right for the responsibilities of their job.

4. Use Signage

Signage is a valuable warning system for many worksite risks, especially trip hazards. There are two sign types safety teams can use to prevent falls:

• Temporary signage. Safety teams should establish temporary warning signs while addressing a new trip hazard, such as removing walkway debris, cleaning up a spill, or repairing damaged floors. However, while these short-term signs help prevent injuries, management must address the hazard immediately.
• Permanent signage: A permanent sign can help warn workers to watch out for unavoidable hazards, such as uneven ground. However, safety teams should use these only when necessary because workers might ignore a cluster of signs or ones they see daily.

5. Ensure Proper Lighting

Workers need to be able to see their surroundings to avoid slips, trips, and falls, and poor lighting on job sites makes that problematic. Safety teams can help make work sites more visible through the following strategies:

• Repair switches and cords immediately after they stop working.
• Use sufficient lighting in walkways, hallways, and on staircases and ramps.
• Clear the area around light switches and ensure they are easily accessible.
• Instruct workers to turn on the light before entering a dark room.

6. Provide Trip Hazard Training

Educating workers on finding and preventing a trip hazard will help keep them safe, and safety teams should provide them with detailed instructions on the conditions they’ll work in and the dangers they’ll encounter.

Furthermore, management should conduct regular safety meetings or presentations, which are a terrific way to update the team on newly implemented safety measures or to remind them about seasonal concerns.

7. Develop safety plans

All efforts to promote fall prevention, especially in high-risk workplaces, are solidified by a well-thought-out safety strategy, which might include the following steps:

• Developing safety practices and standards
• Conducting trip hazard assessments
• Performing periodic maintenance inspections
• Studying specifications for safety equipment

Along with these recommendations, safety officers, onsite workers, and authorized staff can hold frequent toolbox discussions about trip hazards. These safety lectures can increase team members’ awareness and highlight the risks involved with their jobs, giving them better protection against accidents caused by slips, trips, and falls.

Preventing Trip Hazards Requires the Best Safety Solutions

In the workplace, trip hazards are relatively common and, unfortunately, can cause severe injuries. Management must do its best to identify and eliminate potential risks to ensure workers perform their duties safely by considering the abovementioned strategies.

The best employees want to work on the job sites of companies that put safety first, and those employers who take these proactive steps to remove hazards demonstrate their concern for workers, contribute to developing a culture of safety that helps everyone involved, and attract better talent.

Consider partnering with us to tailor a solution that helps you create a safer workplace for your workers, customers, and visitors.

Contact us today to learn more.

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What You Need to Know About OSHA Slips, Trips, and Falls Regulations

John c. merlino, esq..

• November 2, 2022

Slips, trips, and falls are the most common injuries in the construction industry. The nature of construction work makes industry workplaces unsafe for workers, even when wearing protective equipment and following all protection requirements. The construction industry accounted for approximately 20.5% of all worker deaths on-the-job in 2020.

Below, an experienced construction accident attorney in New York City from William Schwitzer & Associates, P.C., describes OSHA’s (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) definitions of slips, trips, and falls. Learn more about OSHA slips, trips, and falls regulation, statistics, and prevention.

Definition of Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips and trips both have unique definitions, but both accidents can lead to a fall. Falls can occur on level ground or from an elevated stair, step, or platform. OSHA defines each term as the following:

• Slips. The loss of balance due to lack of friction between your foot and walking-working surfaces. Wet surfaces are the primary cause of slips, and friction-reducing substances include water, ice, oil, or improper shoe soles for the environment.
• Trips. The loss of balance caused by your foot striking an object while your walking momentum carries you forward, sometimes leading to a fall.
• Falls. As results of a slip or trip, falls account for the most workplace deaths than any other cause of injury.

OSHA training offers prevention methods for each of these injuries and their causes, including using the appropriate protective equipment, maintaining walking-working surfaces, and regularly holding safety training for workers on-site. You can find OSHA’s guidelines contained in the  29 CFR 1910 Subpart D Walking-Working Surfaces section of the Code of Federal Regulation .

Preventing Slips

Slips are often the result of wearing the wrong shoes or stepping on a wet surface. Remember that you can help prevent slips in the workplace by:

• Cleaning up or reporting spills immediately
• Cleaning up and disposing of oil and greasy films or residues appropriately
• Safely walking with short steps and toes turned slightly out
• Walking cautiously on smooth surfaces, wrinkled carpets, or uneven surfaces

Preventing Trips

Trips are often the result of obstructed views or improper equipment storage. You can help reduce the risk of trips in the workplace by:

• Using a team lift for bulky objects that could obstruct your view of your surroundings
• Storing equipment out of the way of walkways and paths
• Remove debris from work sites and use appropriate barricades to block off hazards
• Keep walking areas well-lit so workers can see potential hazards
• Alert the appropriate site managers to trip hazards

Preventing Falls

Falls are the leading cause of worker fatalities and include same-level and elevated falls. Slips and trips can both lead to fall injuries. You can reduce instances of falling at your job site by:

• Always using the appropriate stairs or ramps to change levels
• Never jumping from a platform, loading area, or ladder
• Keeping walkways clear of debris and well-lit
• Wearing the appropriate non-slip work shoes
• Wearing the appropriate safety harnesses and using protective equipment when working at elevation
• Covering work bays or pits when not in use
• Barricading large holes to prevent falls

What Are Some Common Construction Injury Slip, Trip, and Fall Risks?

The construction industry is particularly vulnerable to OSHA slips, trips, and falls regulation infractions that lead to injuries at job sites. Construction includes several high-risk jobs, including general contracting, roofing, bricklaying, excavation, demolition, cement pouring, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, and more.

Construction work sites tend to be rife with hazards, especially as population booms increase the demand for new homes and more commercial centers. In the rush to construct new communities, developers often overlook safety as a hurdle to meeting certain deadlines.

Common risks in the construction industry include:

• Failing to install fall protection measures or use safety harnesses when working at elevated heights or near pits
• Trip hazards from equipment and materials being left around the job site
• Infrequent training on OSHA slip, trips, and falls regulations for workers on site
• Failing to ensure workers understand the chain of command to report hazards
• Failing to guard risk areas to prevent entry near the hazard

Employers are supposed to remove hazards or protect workers from potential injuries at the job site according to OSHA regulations . They are also supposed to install and teach supervisors how to use fall protection measures such as safety nets, safety harnesses, or guard rails to prevent falls and fall injuries.

Top Ten OSHA Frequently Cited Standards in Fiscal Year 2021

Between October 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021, OSHA inspected 24,333 job sites . OSHA can only visit so many job sites each year to inspect for infractions and make citations. 4,955 of the 24,333 OSHA inspections came from complaints against an employer. Inspectors across the country cited thousands of infractions, including these top 10 most frequently cited standards :

• Fall Protection, construction ( 29 CFR 1926.501 )
• Respiratory Protection, general industry ( 29 CFR 1910.134 )
• Ladders, construction ( 29 CFR 1926.1053 )
• Hazard Communication, general industry ( 29 CFR 1910.1200 )
• Scaffolding, construction ( 29 CFR 1926.451 )
• Fall Protection Training, construction ( 29 CFR 1926.503 )
• Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry ( 29 CFR 1910.147 )
• Eye and Face Protection, construction ( 29 CFR 1926.102 )
• Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry ( 29 CFR 1910.178 )
• Machinery and Machine Guarding, general industry ( 29 CFR 1910.212 )

Five of the top ten citations are in construction, including infractions for fall protection, ladder safety, scaffolding protection, fall protection training, and eye and face protective equipment. Other infractions include general industry category citations that could affect construction workers, such as respiratory protection, hazard communication, and powered industrial trucks.

OSHA Slip, Trips, and Falls Regulation and Codes

In 2017, OSHA updated the standards for fall protection and training in construction (29 CFR 1926) with guidance from the general industry (29 CFR 1910) standards already in place. Key OSHA slips, trips, and falls regulation derives from standards for both industries.

29 CFR 1926 (Construction)

29 CFR 1926 deals with construction industry regulations , including fall protection and scaffolding and ladder safety.

29 CFR 1926.500-503 covers an employer’s responsibility to have fall protection, fall protection systems requirements and implementation, and fall protection training requirements.

29 CFR 1926.450-454 covers scaffolding safety, including safe access and fall protection for scaffolding erectors and dismantlers.

29 CFR 1926.1053 details ladder safety requirements, including ladder sizes, maximum loads, and additional safety precautions, such as the implementation of metal spreaders or locking mechanisms to hold a ladder open.

While 29 CFR 1926.34 describes construction regulations for means of egress, certain codes under general industry utilize a higher standard for maintaining walking-working surfaces and exit route safety.

29 CFR 1910 (General Industry)

29 CFR 1910 covers general industry regulations , including maintenance of walking-working surfaces, exit routes in case of emergency, and duty to have fall protection and protection from falling objects.

29 CFR 1910.22 describes the employer’s requirements to maintain walking-working surfaces free from hazards, repair any surfaces that could pose a danger to employee safety, and use appropriate drainage in wet areas that could become slippery.

29 CFR 1910.36 covers design and construction requirements for exit routes, including standard and emergency exits, as well as guardrail requirements for outdoor exit routes.

29 CFR 1910.37 regulates maintenance and safeguards for workers during construction or other work at the job site.

Contact a New York City Construction Industry Injury Attorney for Worker’s Comp Claims

The information above about OSHA slips, trips, and falls regulation applies to thousands of construction worker injuries each year. Learn what the average construction accident settlement is in New York , and contact us at William Schwitzer & Associates, P.C., for a free case evaluation for your construction job site accident injuries.

Call us today at 212-683-3800 or contact us online to speak with an experienced personal injury and worker’s comp attorney about your case. At William Schwitzer & Associates, P.C. , we have helped injured clients recover millions of dollars from negligent employers across New York City.

About The Author

John C. Merlino is a zealous legal voice for injured construction workers. A senior managing member of the firm, Mr. Merlino was born and raised in Brooklyn, to immigrant parents. Mr. Merlino learned the importance of educating our clients of their rights and being a strong-compassionate advocate. Mr. Merlino, along with his mentor William Schwitzer, are among the most respected Construction Site Accident Lawyers in the State of New York.

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Reducing slips, trips and falls

Hazard awareness and prevention strategies needed.

Fall hazards remain a common problem across multiple industries and workplaces. In 2019, worker deaths stemming from slips, trips and falls climbed 11.3% from the previous year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Meanwhile, OSHA’s standard on fall protection – general requirements (1926.501) has topped the agency’s Top 10 list of most frequently cited standards for 11 consecutive fiscal years.

Other standards related to inherent fall risks and that routinely populate the list include those regarding ladders (1926.1053), scaffolding (1926.451) and fall protection – training requirements (1926.503).

“Most workers have some safety knowledge, but how do we get people to consistently apply the safety practices that they know?” asked Bradley Evanoff, occupational health physician and professor of occupational and environmental medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. “How can an employer create a work culture where all employees take an active role in making the workplace safer and feel like they can speak up if they see a problem?”

Factors may overlap

During a December 2019 National Safety Council webinar on strategies for preventing slips, trips and falls, Amber Joseph, technical consultant at Liberty Mutual Insurance, identified several contributing factors. Among them:

• Walking surfaces
• People and activity
• Contaminants

“A lot of times, you’ll have overlap within these, so it may be a walking surface and a footwear discussion depending on the type of contaminant that you have in place,” Joseph said. “But really, it’s looking at this as a whole, and looking at it as, ‘All right, I need to address these areas as I move forward.’”

On the surface

Under OSHA’s standard on walking-working surfaces for general industry (1910.22), employers must ensure “all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly and sanitary condition.”

Walking-working surfaces also must be maintained free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice. Additionally, hazardous conditions on surfaces must be “corrected or repaired before an employee uses the walking-working surface again.”

The standard adds that “if the correction or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface until the hazard is corrected or repaired.”

NIOSH suggests that employers select flooring material based on the work that will be performed in the area. The agency also notes the importance of the factor of coefficient of friction – a measurement for the propensity to slip on a given walkway surface. The agency states that flooring with “a higher static coefficient of friction is safer” and recommends flooring with a CoF of 0.5 or greater for high-risk areas.

In November, the University of Pittsburgh announced that two researchers from its Swanson School of Engineering intend to use a NIOSH grant to develop a new model of flooring friction performance with the aim to prevent falls on the job. Citing data from Liberty Mutual, a Pitt press release notes that workplace slips and falls carry an annual expense of $10 billion in workers’ compensation claims.

Continued on page 2

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EHS Daily Advisor

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Special Topics in Safety Management

Trip hazards do’s and don’ts.

Updated: Aug 8, 2019

The national statistics on injuries and deaths from workplace slips, trips, and falls are disturbing. Today we’ll give you some actionable advice on keeping your workers from adding to those statistics.

Slips, trips, and falls cannot be taken lightly. Consider:

• In one recent year, more than 800 American workers fell to their deaths. On average, falls account for about 15 percent of all occupational fatalities, second only to motor vehicle accidents.
• In addition, thousands of workers suffer nonfatal injuries from falls every year—many of them temporarily or permanently disabling.

One reason that falls are so common is that there are hazards everywhere. Employees can slip, trip, or fall in production areas, in offices, on stairwells, from ladders, off loading docks–and other places specific to your workplace. An article from our sister website Safety.BLR.com® offers the following advice on trip hazards.

Know What OSHA Says

In recognition of the prevalence of fall hazards and the alarming statistics of fall injuries and fatalities, OSHA has issued several standards for both general industry and construction regarding fall hazards in the workplace. These include regulations for walking and working surfaces; guarding floor and wall openings and holes; stairs; ladder design, inspection, and use; and working at heights.

Being familiar with these regulations can help you identify hazards and take steps to prevent slips, trips, and falls in your workplace.

Recognize the Hazards

Common causes of slips, trips, and falls include:

• Messy, cluttered work areas
• Tools, materials, cords, and other items lying on the floor in places where people walk
• Poor visibility caused by inadequate lighting or burned-out bulbs
• Not watching where you’re going or carrying something you can’t see over
• Running or walking too fast
• Spills and wet floors
• Open drawers (a not-so-obvious trip hazard!)
• Uneven, defective flooring, worn stairs, or worn spots in carpets that nobody has reported or fixed
• Failure to use handrails when going up or down the stairs
• Not enough caution on ladders
• Wearing shoes that are not appropriate for the work space or the job

Eliminate Trip Hazards

Many fall injuries occur on level ground when people trip over unexpected objects in their path. Help eliminate trip hazards by training employees to follow these do’s and don’ts.

• Keep work areas neat and tidy, putting tools, materials, and other items away after use.
• Pick up items off the floor, even if they didn’t put them there.
• Step over or around obstructions, not on them.
• Walk slowly and change directions slowly, especially when carrying a load.
• Watch for changes in floor level—such as a few steps or a ramp up or down.
• Report lighting problems, such as burned-out bulbs, to maintenance right away.
• Use a flashlight if they need more light leaving the facility in the dark.

Don’t:

• Don’t leave boxes, bags, tools, or other materials on the floor.
• Don’t block walkways with hand trucks, equipment, or materials.
• Don’t leave cords or cables in walkways.
• Don’t place anything on stairs.
• Don’t leave drawers open.

Don’t Slip Up on Slip Hazards

It’s easy to slip on wet or smooth surfaces, and down you go. Even a little slip can add up to a big injury. Here are some preventive measures:

• Put up signs or barriers to warn people when floors are wet or hazardous.
• Put down mats near entryways on rainy days.

In addition, instruct employees to:

• Clean up spills, drips, and leaks immediately.
• Wear sensible shoes with nonskid soles, and wipe their feet when they come inside on wet days.
• Shuffle feet on slippery surfaces.
• Report slip hazards if they can’t fix them.

Tomorrow we’ll look at some training recommendations to lower the incidence of slips, trips, and falls at your facility.

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10 Simple Ways to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are the leading causes of time lost in the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited fall protection standard violations more frequently than any other standard.

These types of hazards are serious issues for workers and employers, but their risk can be minimized with 10 simple ways to prevent slips, trips, and falls. With the risk of injury ranging from a simple sprained ankle to serious injury or death, fall protection and prevention should be everyone’s top priority.

These 10 ways to prevent injury should be considered best practices in every industry.

Like any other safety hazard, slips, trips, and falls can be highlighted during safety training. Make sure that everyone can recognize and avoid slip, trip, and fall hazards and that they use PPE correctly when necessary.

With these types of hazards being common to every type of work environment, it is important to notify supervisors or maintenance crews of slip, trip, and fall hazards when they are present. With so many ways to avoid or lessen the severity of slip, trip, and fall hazards, hopefully businesses will take steps to abate this hazards and less time will be lost by workers.

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Comprehensive Guide to Preventing Workplace Injuries: Tips for a Safer Work Environment

E nsuring workplace safety is a priority that cannot be overstated. Personal injuries on the job not only affect the well-being of employees but can also lead to significant financial burdens for workers and employers. This comprehensive guide will explore practical tips and valuable insights to help you create a safer workplace. Whether an employee or an employer, you will find actionable strategies to prevent personal injuries and promote a safety culture.

Understanding Workplace Safety

Workplace safety is about establishing a safe environment where employees can perform their duties without risks of injury. It is about complying with regulations and caring for people's well-being. Consulting a personal injury lawyer can provide insights into legal rights and responsibilities, ensuring safety measures are met. A safe workplace enhances productivity, reduces downtime, and builds trust between employers and employees.

The Importance of a Safety Culture

Creating a culture of safety involves everyone in the organization. Safety influences behavior and attitudes across all levels when it becomes a shared value. Encouraging open communication about safety concerns, rewarding safe practices, and providing regular training can foster this culture.

Common Causes of Workplace Injuries

Slips, Trips, and Falls : Slips, trips, and falls account for many workplace injuries. Proper housekeeping, using non-slip mats, and ensuring clear walkways can prevent these incidents. Encouraging employees to wear appropriate footwear also plays a vital role.

Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs) : RSIs occur from repetitive motions or overuse of certain body parts. Ergonomic design, regular breaks, and exercises can reduce the risk. Providing adjustable workstations and educating employees on proper posture can further mitigate this issue.

The Role of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE is essential in protecting employees from potential hazards. Depending on the industry, this may include gloves, helmets, goggles, or ear protection. Ensuring that PPE is available, in good condition, and used correctly is crucial for safety.

Conducting Regular Safety Audits

Safety audits help identify potential hazards before they cause harm. Regular inspections and assessments ensure that safety practices are followed and equipment is in good condition. Involving employees in these audits can provide valuable insights.

Moreover, A well-structured safety training program is fundamental. It should cover general safety principles, job-related hazards, and emergency procedures. Regular updates and refreshers keep the training relevant and effective.

Encouraging Employee Involvement

Involving employees in safety initiatives creates a sense of ownership. Regular safety meetings, suggestion boxes, and feedback loops encourage active participation. Employees are often the first to notice potential hazards; their input is invaluable.

Management's Role in Safety

Management must lead by example. When leaders prioritize safety, they set a standard for the entire organization. Key responsibilities include providing necessary resources, supporting safety initiatives, and holding everyone accountable.

Emergency Preparedness

Being prepared for emergencies can save lives. Developing and regularly practicing emergency plans ensures everyone knows what to do in case of fire, natural disasters, or other emergencies. Clear signage and accessible exits are vital components.

Despite preventive measures, personal injuries may still occur. Having a clear plan for handling these situations minimizes the impact. Immediate medical attention, proper documentation, and a supportive approach to recovery are essential.

Legal Considerations and Personal Injury Lawyers

Understanding legal obligations and rights is crucial. Employers must comply with safety regulations, and employees should know their rights. Consulting a personal injury lawyer can provide guidance and support in serious injury cases.

Continuous Improvement in Safety Practices

Safety is an ongoing process. Regularly reviewing and updating safety practices ensures they remain effective. Staying informed about new regulations, technologies, and best practices helps keep the workplace safe.

Creating a safe workplace is a collective responsibility that requires commitment, communication, and continuous effort. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you can significantly reduce the risk of personal injuries on the job. Remember, a safe workplace is a productive and happy workplace. If you need further guidance or have specific concerns, consider contacting a personal injury lawyer for professional advice.

Stay safe, stay informed, and make workplace safety a priority.

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National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Aerosols in the workplace.

• Aerosols are small particles in the air that can be harmful.
• NIOSH studies how to protect workers from harmful effects of aerosols.
• NIOSH offers guides and tools to keep workers safe from harmful aerosols.

An aerosol may be defined as a suspension of particles or droplets in air. Aerosols may include airborne dusts, mists, fumes, or smoke. Suspended particle sizes may range from a few nanometers (nm) to hundreds of micrometers (µm) in diameter. For comparison a human hair may be between 20 to 180 µm in diameter. Particles can be manufactured or naturally occurring.

Aerosols in the workplace may pose both health and safety hazards. Aerosols are encountered across multiple industry sectors. Particles can be inhaled, absorbed by the skin, enter the eyes or be ingested. Factors such as particle size, composition, shape, and concentration, can determine whether particles can cause harm to workers. Harmful effects can be either short or long term. Safety hazards may include slips, fires, or explosions.

NIOSH has carried out extensive aerosol research in exposure assessment, epidemiology, toxicology, risk mitigation, aerosol sampling and method development. This assists our understanding in:

• How aerosols are formed and transported through the workplace.
• Which workers may be most impacted and to what extent.
• The health implications to workers.
• The safety implications in the workplace.
• How to sample for and measure aerosols in the workplace.
• How to reduce or eliminate the health and safety hazards.

NIOSH recommends using the Hierarchy of Controls in reducing or eliminating hazards in the workplace.

Below are some aerosols resources based on NIOSH research.

• Engineering Controls Reports
• About Silica and Worker Health
• Welding Fumes and Manganese
• Respirators

Dust Control Handbook for Industrial Minerals Mining and Processing. Second edition. Describes effective methods for the control of mineral dusts in mines.

Best Practices for Dust Control in Coal Mining. Second edition : Describes effective methods for the control of coal dust in mines.

Nanotechnology : Workers within nanotechnology-related industries may experience exposure to uniquely engineered materials. This includes novel sizes, shapes, and physical and chemical properties.

NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM) : Methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air. It includes methods for quantifying contaminants in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed.

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards : Provides general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes found in the work environment.

NIOSHTIC-2 is a searchable bibliographic database of publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles. Suggested key words: aerosol, particulate matter, dust, mists, fume, exhaust, aerosol or dust sampling, aerosol or dust exposure, combustible dusts.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established NIOSH as a research agency focused on the study of worker safety and health, and empowering employers and workers to create safe and healthy workplaces.

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6 steps to an effective job hazard analysis

All workplaces have job hazards. Whether you are a construction worker working at heights, an agricultural worker handling a chemical substance, or a warehouse worker lifting heavy objects, these hazards can cause injurie, illnesses, and even deaths.

What is a job hazard analysis?

A job hazard analysis , or JHA, helps you identify and control unrecognized hazards, as well as hazards that might emerge when there are changes such as a new process or piece of equipment. 

The goal of any JHA is to discover:

Potential consequences and worst-case scenarios 

How an incident could happen

Contributing factors

The likelihood that an incident could occur

Hazard controls

This ongoing process of identifying and assessing hazards and hazardous situations is a critical part of any effective safety and health program.

Job hazard analysis steps

1. Select and prioritize jobs to analyze

When conducting a JHA, start with the jobs where a potential injury or illness could be severe or the jobs that frequently result in injuries or near misses when performed. Engage ALL your workers and review your records to help you decide. 

2. Analyze all steps of the job

After you select the job to analyze, detail all aspects of the job performed. This is critical so that workers can review the JHA and best prepare to safely complete the job. You can make videos and take photos to help record this process.

3. Look at each step of the job for hazards

Next, identify all the hazards associated with the job. Review all previous injury or illness records and consider the worst-case scenarios that the hazards could cause. Hazards can typically be broken down into these categories: machine-related, physical barriers, biological, chemical or ergonomic. 

4. Describe the hazards

Now that you have identified the job hazard, put on your detective hat to determine: Who does the hazard affect? What causes the hazard? What are other contributing factors? When is the hazard likely to impact workers? Where does the operation occur? Lastly, why would an accident occur? 

5. Select, install, maintain and review controls

After you describe the hazards, explain the most effective way to control the hazard and prevent injuries. Refer to the hierarchy of control methods that includes 1) elimination, 2) substitution, 3) engineering controls, 4) administrative controls and 5) personal protective equipment.

6. Review your job hazard analysis

Congratulations! You developed a JHA! As a last step, be sure to review the JHA and continually update it as aspects of the job change or evolve.

Sign up for Safe + Sound Week!

Ready to put a JHA into action? This August, join us for Safe + Sound Week as we complete The Hunt for Hazards to uncover hazards while completing a job hazard analysis. Sign up  to participate in Safe + Sound Week  and join the conversation online using  # SafeAndSoundAtWork. 

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, , About 8 million U.S. healthcare workers who prepare or administer hazardous drugs, or who work in areas where these drugs are used, may be exposed to toxic agents in the workplace. , ,

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Tips & Actionable Strategies

Consider these tips and explore the collection of curated resources, strategies and practices to learn about industrial hygiene, recognize and control occupational chemical hazards, signs and symptoms of exposure, and procedures for emergency treatment.

• Keep compliance and risk assessments up to date with the latest information available.
• Use appropriate protective clothing and equipment during activities where hazardous chemicals are generated, administered, and disposed.
• Ensure staff do not take clothing and personal items home with them if they contain chemical contaminants.
• Provide staff training on chemical hazards and safe handling precautions at hire and annually thereafter.
• Ensure that standard operating procedures are readily available to staff.
• Provide medical surveillance for employees exposed to hazardous chemicals.
• Workplace Violence Prevention
• Workplace Violence Prevention Program
• Worksite Analysis
• Data Collection
• Education & Training
• Worker Well-Being
• Commit to Worker Well-Being
• Appoint a Senior Leader
• Assess Well-Being
• Implement Strategies
• Monitor Progress
• Worker Safety
• Biological Hazards
• Enviro-mechanical Hazards
• Physical Hazards

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Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs

Hazard identification and assessment.

One of the "root causes" of workplace injuries, illnesses, and incidents is the failure to identify or recognize hazards that are present, or that could have been anticipated. A critical element of any effective safety and health program is a proactive, ongoing process to identify and assess such hazards.

To identify and assess hazards, employers and workers:

• Collect and review information about the hazards present or likely to be present in the workplace.
• Conduct initial and periodic workplace inspections of the workplace to identify new or recurring hazards.
• Investigate injuries, illnesses, incidents, and close calls/near misses to determine the underlying hazards, their causes, and safety and health program shortcomings.
• Group similar incidents and identify trends in injuries, illnesses, and hazards reported.
• Consider hazards associated with emergency or nonroutine situations.
• Determine the severity and likelihood of incidents that could result for each hazard identified, and use this information to prioritize corrective actions.

Some hazards, such as housekeeping and tripping hazards, can and should be fixed as they are found. Fixing hazards on the spot emphasizes the importance of safety and health and takes advantage of a safety leadership opportunity. To learn more about fixing other hazards identified using the processes described here, see " Hazard Prevention and Control ."

Action item 1: Collect existing information about workplace hazards

Action item 2: inspect the workplace for safety hazards, action item 3: identify health hazards, action item 4: conduct incident investigations, action item 5: identify hazards associated with emergency and nonroutine situations, action item 6: characterize the nature of identified hazards, identify interim control measures, and prioritize the hazards for control.

Information on workplace hazards may already be available to employers and workers, from both internal and external sources.

How to accomplish it

Collect, organize, and review information with workers to determine what types of hazards may be present and which workers may be exposed or potentially exposed. Information available in the workplace may include:

• Equipment and machinery operating manuals.
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provided by chemical manufacturers.
• Self-inspection reports and inspection reports from insurance carriers, government agencies, and consultants.
• Records of previous injuries and illnesses, such as OSHA 300 and 301 logs and reports of incident investigations.
• Workers' compensation records and reports.
• Patterns of frequently-occurring injuries and illnesses.
• Exposure monitoring results, industrial hygiene assessments, and medical records (appropriately redacted to ensure patient/worker privacy).
• Existing safety and health programs (lockout/tagout, confined spaces, process safety management, personal protective equipment, etc.).
• Input from workers, including surveys or minutes from safety and health committee meetings.
• Results of job hazard analyses, also known as job safety analyses.

Information about hazards may be available from outside sources, such as:

• OSHA, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites, publications, and alerts.
• Trade associations.
• Labor unions, state and local occupational safety and health committees/coalitions ("COSH groups"), and worker advocacy groups.
• Safety and health consultants.

Hazards can be introduced over time as workstations and processes change, equipment or tools become worn, maintenance is neglected, or housekeeping practices decline. Setting aside time to regularly inspect the workplace for hazards can help identify shortcomings so that they can be addressed before an incident occurs.

• Conduct regular inspections of all operations, equipment, work areas and facilities. Have workers participate on the inspection team and talk to them about hazards that they see or report.
• Be sure to document inspections so you can later verify that hazardous conditions are corrected. Take photos or video of problem areas to facilitate later discussion and brainstorming about how to control them, and for use as learning aids.
• Include all areas and activities in these inspections, such as storage and warehousing, facility and equipment maintenance, purchasing and office functions, and the activities of on-site contractors, subcontractors, and temporary employees.
• Regularly inspect both plant vehicles (e.g., forklifts, powered industrial trucks) and transportation vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks).
• General housekeeping
• Slip, trip, and fall hazards
• Electrical hazards
• Equipment operation
• Equipment maintenance
• Fire protection
• Work organization and process flow (including staffing and scheduling)
• Work practices
• Workplace violence
• Ergonomic problems
• Lack of emergency procedures
• Before changing operations, workstations, or workflow; making major organizational changes; or introducing new equipment, materials, or processes, seek the input of workers and evaluate the planned changes for potential hazards and related risks.

Note: Many hazards can be identified using common knowledge and available tools. For example, you can easily identify and correct hazards associated with broken stair rails and frayed electrical cords. Workers can be a very useful internal resource, especially if they are trained in how to identify and assess risks.

Identifying workers' exposure to health hazards is typically more complex than identifying physical safety hazards. For example, gases and vapors may be invisible, often have no odor, and may not have an immediately noticeable harmful health effect. Health hazards include chemical hazards (solvents, adhesives, paints, toxic dusts, etc.), physical hazards (noise, radiation, heat, etc.), biological hazards (infectious diseases), and ergonomic risk factors (heavy lifting, repetitive motions, vibration). Reviewing workers' medical records (appropriately redacted to ensure patient/worker privacy) can be useful in identifying health hazards associated with workplace exposures.

• Identify chemical hazards –review SDS and product labels to identify chemicals in your workplace that have low exposure limits, are highly volatile, or are used in large quantities or in unventilated spaces. Identify activities that may result in skin exposure to chemicals.
• Identify physical hazards –identify any exposures to excessive noise (areas where you must raise your voice to be heard by others), elevated heat (indoor and outdoor), or sources of radiation (radioactive materials, X-rays, or radiofrequency radiation).
• Identify biological hazards –determine whether workers may be exposed to sources of infectious diseases, molds, toxic or poisonous plants, or animal materials (fur or scat) capable of causing allergic reactions or occupational asthma.
• Identify ergonomic risk factors –examine work activities that require heavy lifting, work above shoulder height, repetitive motions, or tasks with significant vibration.
• Conduct quantitative exposure assessments –when possible, using air sampling or direct reading instruments.
• Review medical records –to identify cases of musculoskeletal injuries, skin irritation or dermatitis, hearing loss, or lung disease that may be related to workplace exposures.

Note: Identifying and assessing health hazards may require specialized knowledge. Small businesses can obtain free and confidential occupational safety and health advice services, including help identifying and assessing workplace hazards, through OSHA's On-site Consultation Program .

Workplace incidents –including injuries, illnesses, close calls/near misses, and reports of other concerns– provide a clear indication of where hazards exist. By thoroughly investigating incidents and reports, you will identify hazards that are likely to cause future harm. The purpose of an investigation must always be to identify the root causes (and there is often more than one) of the incident or concern, in order to prevent future occurrences.

• Who will be involved
• Lines of communication
• Materials, equipment, and supplies needed
• Reporting forms and templates
• Train investigative teams on incident investigation techniques, emphasizing objectivity and open-mindedness throughout the investigation process.
• Conduct investigations with a trained team that includes representatives of both management and workers.
• Investigate close calls/near misses.
• Identify and analyze root causes to address underlying program shortcomings that allowed the incidents to happen.
• Communicate the results of the investigation to managers, supervisors, and workers to prevent recurrence.

Effective incident investigations do not stop at identifying a single factor that triggered an incident. They ask the questions "Why?" and "What led to the failure?" For example, if a piece of equipment fails, a good investigation asks: "Why did it fail?" "Was it maintained properly?" "Was it beyond its service life?" and "How could this failure have been prevented?" Similarly, a good incident investigation does not stop when it concludes that a worker made an error. It asks such questions as: "Was the worker provided with appropriate tools and time to do the work?" "Was the worker adequately trained?" and "Was the worker properly supervised?"

Note: OSHA has special reporting requirements for work-related incidents that lead to serious injury or a fatality (29 CFR 1904.39). OSHA must be notified within 8 hours of a work-related fatality, and within 24 hours of an amputation, loss of an eye, or inpatient hospitalization.

Emergencies present hazards that need to be recognized and understood. Nonroutine or infrequent tasks, including maintenance and startup/shutdown activities, also present potential hazards. Plans and procedures need to be developed for responding appropriately and safely to hazards associated with foreseeable emergency scenarios and nonroutine situations.

• Fires and explosions
• Chemical releases
• Hazardous material spills
• Startups after planned or unplanned equipment shutdowns
• Nonroutine tasks, such as infrequently performed maintenance activities
• Structural collapse
• Disease outbreaks
• Weather emergencies and natural disasters
• Medical emergencies

The next step is to assess and understand the hazards identified and the types of incidents that could result from worker exposure to those hazards. This information can be used to develop interim controls and to prioritize hazards for permanent control .

• Evaluate each hazard by considering the severity of potential outcomes, the likelihood that an event or exposure will occur, and the number of workers who might be exposed.
• Use interim control measures to protect workers until more permanent solutions can be implemented.
• Prioritize the hazards so that those presenting the greatest risk are addressed first. Note, however, that employers have an ongoing obligation to control all serious recognized hazards and to protect workers.

Note: "Risk" is the product of hazard and exposure. Thus, risk can be reduced by controlling or eliminating the hazard or by reducing workers' exposure to hazards. An assessment of risk helps employers understand hazards in the context of their own workplace and prioritize hazards for permanent control.

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Hotter Than Blue Blazes! OSHA Issues New Heat Hazard Rules for Companies Operating Outdoor and Indoor Workplaces

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a Proposed Rule that could expose employers to liability when employees suffer heat illnesses in outdoor or indoor workplaces. This Rule will affect approximately 36 million workers across most industries, including construction, agriculture, and manufacturing. To prevent heat-related hazards, employers would be required to provide employees with water and frequent breaks when temperatures reach a heat index of 80°F or hotter.

Overview of the Proposed Rule

According to OSHA, heat is the most lethal weather condition that employees face. From 2011 to 2022, employers reported 479 employee deaths to OSHA caused by exposure to high temperatures. OSHA estimates that employees suffer 33,890 heat injuries and illnesses at work each year. 

OSHA has long considered establishing a rule to prevent these heat-related injuries, and finally proposed one on July 2. This Proposed Rule would apply to all workplaces in OSHA’s jurisdiction (which includes most industries) and apply even to employers whose employees work entirely inside. The Proposed Rule would require the following:

• Development of Heat Control Plans: Every employer would be required to develop a Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (HIIPP) that addresses heat hazards specific to their workplace.
• Cooling Measures: OSHA’s new standard would require employers to take proactive steps to keep employees from overheating. In particular, the Proposed Rule would establish an “initial heat trigger” at an 80°F heat index (which measures the ambient temperature and humidity). When temperatures reach this point, employers would have to provide employees with drinking water and shaded break areas. At the “high heat trigger” of 90°F, employers would have to begin monitoring for signs of heat illness and provide 15-minute breaks every two hours.
• Training and Acclimation: Employers would be required to provide training on heat hazards to new employees and annual refresher training for all other employees. New employees, and those returning from 14 days of leave or more, would also be entitled to lighter duty as they acclimate to working in temperatures above 80°F.

OSHA enforces rules, like this one, primarily through fines. Any “serious” violation of an OSHA rule – which is how OSHA is likely to consider a violation of this rule – can cost employers up to $16,131 per violation . Violations that appear willful to OSHA result in increased fines that can easily reach six figures.

Next Steps for OSHA – and You

The Proposed Rule marks the beginning of OSHA’s rulemaking process, during which stakeholders, including employers, employees, industry associations, and health experts, are encouraged to submit comments to the agency. Once OSHA considers these comments it will, presumably, issue a Final Rule, which could resemble this Proposed Rule, or vary slightly from it.

It should also be noted that, while OSHA does not currently have a heat hazard rule, it has nonetheless historically penalized employers for failing to address heat hazards through its general enforcement powers. So employers who operate outside, or inside with heat-producing equipment, should consider now how to minimize the risks of heat-related illnesses for their employees.

If you have questions about how to reduce heat hazards in your workplace, or about the impact of OSHA’s Proposed Rule, contact any member of the Williams Mullen employment team for more information.  

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Dollar General will pay $12 million in fines over workplace safety violations

Jonathan Franklin

Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve conditions at its thousands of retail stores nationwide to make them safer for workers, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Here, a Dollar General store is seen on August 2017, in Luther, Okla. Sue Ogrocki/AP hide caption

Dollar General has agreed to pay $12 million in penalties and improve safety at its nearly 20,000 stores across the U.S. after claims that the discount retailer put its employees in danger with its practices, the Labor Department said.

In a news release last week announcing the settlement, the Labor Department said that Dollar General will have to significantly reduce its store inventory and hire new safety managers, provide health and safety training, and develop a safety and health committee for employees.

The agreement also outlines that Dollar General must correct any future safety violations regarding blocked exits or access to fire extinguishers and electrical panels within 48 hours — or face fines of up to $500,000 per violation.

The assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, Douglas Parker, said in the statement that the settlement demonstrates Dollar General's commitment to making worker safety a priority. He said the chain will implement "significant and systematic changes" in its operations.

Discounting is back in fashion, as Americans get tired of paying more

"These changes help give peace of mind to thousands of workers, knowing that they are not risking their safety in their workplaces and that they will come home healthy at the end of each day," Parker said.

In an email to NPR, the company said that it is pleased to have reached an agreement with the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to resolve and improve the overall safety in stores, saying in part: "We remain committed to ensuring a safe working environment for our employees and a pleasant shopping experience for our customers."

The Billion-Dollar Discount Chain: How Dollar General Remade America

Since 2017, Dollar General has faced millions of dollars in penalties , as the discount chain was issued more than $15 million in fines for "numerous willful, repeat and serious workplace safety violations," according to a 2023 OSHA news release.

In January 2023, OSHA inspectors discovered that the discount retail chain continuously exposed its workers to "unsafe conditions" in two store locations in Florida and one in Alabama. In July 2022, inspectors found that merchandise blocked exit routes at a Dollar General store in Alabama. The chain was issued citations for two repeat violations, racking up nearly $205,000 in fines.

And in recent years, the discount chain's stores have also been targets for robberies and violent crimes.

In August 2023, a white gunman opened fire at a Jacksonville, Fla., and killed three people. The local sheriff told reporters following the shooting that the attack was racially motivated and that the gunman, later identified as Ryan Palmeter, 21, left behind "manifestos" that suggested he "hated Black people" before he killed himself.

Since 2014, nearly 50 people have died and 172 have been injured in Dollar General stores across the U.S., according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit organization that tracks gun use across the country.