Slip, Trip and Fall Awareness

As winter is on us and we have entered 2021, it is a prime time to consider proven risk mitigation tactics as part of a yearly safety strategy. With fall injuries costing U.S. employers $70 billion a year, your safety strategy must be considered often. To stay proactive, we recommend completing a safety walk around your work area daily, paying attention to any immediate changes, shifts in the seasons, and any stray objects, messes, or spills that may have appeared. With diligence and the right tools in place, your efforts can make your job site safer for all who enter.

Watch Out in Winter

Cold temperatures, ice, and snow are common winter factors that each pose risks for slips and falls. During the coldest months of the year, it is more important than ever to maintain a solid walking surface and remove snow and ice from all high traffic areas to avoid potentially hazardous situations.

When you are evaluating the walking surface, make sure to keep your eye on where water tends to puddle up or where you are finding the most ice or snow. Plan to eliminate these barriers in a timely and safe manner. Always have ice melt, salt, and shovels on hand for quick clean-ups. It is also wise to install anti-slip treads on areas like stairs to office trailers to make surfaces less slick and provide more traction. When considering your overall safety plan, it may be a worthwhile investment to install additional handrails, external matting, and even awnings to protect co-workers from the elements and help them make their way indoor more safely.

Beyond trailer entrances, loading and unloading areas should also be looked at closely, especially when exposed to the elements. Special attention should be paid to loading and unloading areas to ensure employee safety. Look to see if the stone or gravel are starting to rut in a way that could pose a tripping hazard or cause a load to shift. Immediately address any uneven or rutting areas. If fixing or replacing isn’t an option in the colder winter months, these areas should be addressed once spring hits. For high-traffic areas, consider adding new and replacing old, worn-out anti-slip matting. Finally, don’t forget about the stairs. They should be visible and lined with anti-slip treads especially as heavy loads may be carried up and down them often. Consider adding signage or reflective tape to mark any hard to see surfaces to help mitigate falls.

Since most of our work is on the right-of-way, utilizing control measures such as anti-slip matting and handrails is not always an option. We as the individual must be diligent of knowing our surroundings and understanding the terrain underneath our feet. Being careful and watching our step is the most important thing you can do as an individual. You never want to run if avoidable. It always safer to walk on snow or ice. When you must stand on a slippery surface, take the time to plant your feet to create a stable foundation. Additionally, ensuring we have the right footwear with proper traction is also important. To provide extra traction, items such as ice cleats that attach to your shoe can be purchased.  

Our job is complex. It takes balancing proactive measures while also yielding a comprehensive understanding of the tools that will make maintaining the safety of your jobsite or facility possible. Safety is always a top priority, so you must look to not only monitor your work area seasonally, but also promote, protect, and mitigate risk for your co-workers throughout the year.

December Near Misses

An operator was swinging to his blind side with the spotter on the wrong side of the equipment. Work was stopped and we went over the proper procedure and the operator told the spotter to stay out of his blind side.

Work was being done on top of a cooler installing tubing for supply to the auto louvers. The worker was working in the middle of the cooler and was tied off to the muffler platform above him. The worker un-hooked from the platform and walked to the edge of the cooler and did not tie off before starting to work. I got his attention and told him to tie off, which he did, and I discussed staying 100% tied off at all times over (4 feet) and working within (6 feet) to the edge of a working surface.

A buried pipe was almost hit.  Now the inspector that over-saw the pipeline install must be on-site before we dig around that area.

I spotted a contractor not using the approved lifting method with a telehandler.  I asked them to stop the task immediately and correct the issue. I made them aware of the policy and documented the issue and reported it.  It was also brought up in our monthly meeting to communicate with others and make them aware as well.

We are pleased to announce that we have partnered up with Boot Barn to offer all Applied Consultants inspectors a 15% discount on all purchases “work related” from the Boot Barn, Nation Wide. Be sure to tell them you work for Applied Consultants and use the key word: “Safety First” to receive the discount. 

API1169 Test Dates:

December 4 - 18, 2020
Registration Deadline: October 2nd, 2020

December Winners

Charles Fotenot-Platinum
Chris Courtney-Gold
Darren Shaw-Silver-Bronze
Jason Horton-Bronze
Jason Vivian-Bronze
Jesse Hernandez-Bronze

If you have been selected as newsletter Q&A winner, please click this link and select your prize(s) from your winning category.