CAUSES OF FALLS Injury due to falls is a major problem in the industry today. Injury and death from falls is second to traffic accidents taking some 2,000 lives each year. Falls are placed in two categories: 1. Falls on the same level. 2. Falls from different elevation. First, look at some of the causes of falls on the same level such as slipping, tripping and bumping into. 1. Slipping - could be ice in the walk, oil or grease on the floor, loose rugs on a waxed floor, a banana peel left over from lunch, a small piece of pipe, a soft drink bottle, a welding rod stub, you can name others. We can avoid these hazards in two ways; first, we must practice good housekeeping by keeping our work areas clean and orderly; second, we must be alert and watch our step. 2. Tripping - can be caused by irregular surface, lines or hose across walkways, toys on steps, tools not in their proper place, poor lighting, open trenches, and many others. The rules for avoiding tripping hazards are much the same as for slipping hazards; that is, practicing good housekeeping, watch your steps and in addition, keep your safety shoes in good condition. Bad soles and run over heels have caused many falls. 3. Falls caused by bumping into - also result in serious injuries. We should be specially careful in hallways, warehouses, and places where blind corners exist. We sometimes get in too much of a hurry; maybe we are late in the morning or in a hurry to get home in the evening. In this rush we go around a corner too fast and collide with another guy and we go spinning. 4. Falls from different elevation - are usually more serious than falls on the same level. These too, can be caused by slipping and tripping but also are caused by many other factors such as misjudging a step or a handhold on a man-lift elevator, over-reaching a ladder or a scaffold, not tying a ladder off properly, faulty handrails on scaffolds, not using body harness when we should.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 11:26:47 +0000
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