Slip, Trip and Fall!

3/13/2019 (Permalink)

Slips, trips, and falls are a common cause of accidents and injuries. Most slip or fall accidents can be prevented by following some simple preventative measures. Inspect a fire-damaged building for potential slippery surfaces and tripping obstacles; then apply safety measures to prevent an accident.

People sometimes do not think about the potential hazard of walking on slippery surfaces. Wet floors are slippery. A dry floor may pose a hazard if a surface nearby is wet (for example, someone walking across a wet carpet, gets their shoes wet, and then walks onto a hard surface floor and slips). Use signs to warn people when floors are wet and slippery. Many people do not realize that soot residues deposited on tile flooring is also a potential slippery surface. 

Structures that have been damaged by fire can present various kinds of trip and fall hazards. Keep floors, walkways, and aisles clean, dry and free from protruding nails, splinters, loose boards, holes, or projections. Cover holes in the floor or mount a temporary guardrail, so people do not accidentally trip or fall.