Avoid slips, trips and falls

If you were to guess the most frequent claims insurance companies receive from schools, what would you predict? Fire? Vandalism?

No, the highest number of claims comes from slip, trip and fall (STF) incidents, which can quickly become costly—both in terms of rising premiums, and in lost-time claims if staff are placed on injury restrictions that cannot be accommodated by the employer.

This particular type of claim can be frustrating for school administrators, because many of the avoidance strategies fall on the staff themselves. While certain steps can be taken to make the environment safer, the administration must also empower school staff to be safe themselves.

The following are some of the most important ways both administration and staff can minimize the risk of slips, trips and falls.

What school administrators can do:

1. Start with good housekeeping. Ensure all walkways are clear of debris and avoid storing items on walking surfaces.
2. Manage your cords. Extension cords are meant for temporary purposes, not to exceed 90 days and should be unplugged daily. Hire a licensed electrician to install a permanent wiring solution. Cords should not be located in aisles or other areas subjected to foot traffic.
3. Take care with spills. Develop processes to report, monitor and cordon off spills.
4. Use and inspect mats and rugs. Use appropriate walk-off mats in slippery or high traffic areas. Make sure they don’t have any tears and are not curled at the edges that present a STF hazard.
5. Inspect and repair outdoor walking surfaces. During the winter, keep walkways and parking lots free of ice and snow. Even when it’s not snowy or icy, establish a regular maintenance schedule to make sure there aren’t trip hazards on your curbs and walkways.
6. Pay attention to lighting. This is important both inside and outside the building. Stairways should be well lit so people are less likely to miss a step, and parking lot lights should make it easy for your employees to see their way to and from the building.
7. Conduct accident investigations. Such investigations document the conditions that were present, activities performed, and the footwear worn at the time of the STF incident.

What employees can do:

1. Choose the right kinds of shoes. Flat leather and plastic-soled shoes typically don’t offer enough slip resistance and are bad choices in wet or wintry weather. Instead, employees should select shoes with appropriate tread patterns and composition based on environmental conditions and anticipated activities throughout the workday.
2. Take extra precautions when ascending and descending stairs. They should keep their hands free on the stairs, use the handrail and walk to the side, and firmly plant a foot on the center of each step, as opposed to the stair tread edge.
3. Avoid distractions when walking both inside and outside the school. If staff are paying attention to their phone or another distraction, they will be less likely to notice a change in elevation or another trip hazard.
4. Constantly scan for STF hazards when walking. In addition to the location they are stepping on, they should scan the area in the direction they are walking as well. They should slow down and take corners wide to avoid collisions at blind hallway corners. Also, they should be cautious of doors opening and/or individuals quickly exiting rooms leading to hallways.

Schools should be partnering with the staff to prevent slip, trip and fall incidents. It’s an effort that benefits everyone. Check out more risk control resources to keep staff safe.