Slip and Fall Prevention Equipment

Buying slip and fall prevention equipment keeps your employees and your bottom line safe

Several hundred employees die each year because of falls, often from roofs and stairs, and manufacturers have developed many types of slip and fall products/equipment to help prevent these accidents. Not only must you ensure your employees' safety, but you also need to protect yourself and your business in these days of rising workers' compensation claims and lawsuits run amok.

As a business owner or decision maker, you can reduce your liability by addressing all areas where accidents might likely occur. As you search the Internet for products and equipment that assist in slip and fall prevention, keep in mind the following:

1. Ensure that any fall protection equipment or anti-slip product you spend money on is approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Construction Safety Alliance (CSA) and is American National Standards Institute (ANSI) compliant.
2. Install fall protection equipment like railings wherever you have steps or inclined walks.
3. In addition to your building's interior, inspect the outside areas as well (sidewalks, entrances and parking lots) for smooth walking surfaces with a high coefficient of friction and regular maintenance and repair.

Buy fall protection equipment that will keep your workers safe when they're working up high

If you're responsible for crews working above ground level, then you must ensure their safety. Whether they perform roof work or inspection, roof-mounted HVAC repair or window washing, provide the proper equipment and make certain that you've done all you can to keep them safe.

Purchase slip and fall prevention equipment to protect workers in potentially unsafe areas

In an environment prone to spills and/or slick floors, like a restaurant, pet grooming business, hair salon, gym or spa, the first step you can take in slip prevention is to ensure your employees wear proper anti skid or anti-slip footwear. Beyond that, you can help make your floors more resistant to falls by changing the flooring surface or improving the floor's coefficient of friction.

Keep your employees safe in your office building with slip prevention products

Even if you work in a typical office building, you still likely face potential hazard areas. When it rains, your entrance may get slick. Perhaps a toilet overflows in your bathroom or water ends up on the floor around the bathroom sink. If your office has a kitchen, you'll find potential problems there, too.

• If you're serious about instituting a slip and fall prevention plans for your business, start by contacting OSHA. You can also find consulting firms online that help build fall prevention programs tailored to your company.

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