Occupational Safety

Falls from the same level refers to a slip, fall or a trip whereby a worker hits an object or the floor at the same level standing, whereas in falls from a height, an individual ground-strikes from a higher elevation or falls in a pit or hole. Each single year, fall, trip and slip injuries are the major causes of common and costly injuries in the workplace (Safety Talk Ideas, 2017). There is a notion in the air that presumes falls from heights cost companies more as compared to falls at the same level, however, this is not the case according to statistical data.

A 2016 report by the Liberty Mutual’s Workplace Safety Index establishes that falls at the same level was second causative of disabling injuries at a cost to workers of $10.1 billion. Falls from heights came third with a cost of $5.4 billion. The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reinstate that the fall on same level account for 15% of all accidental deaths which comes to second to motors as cause of fatalities (Tompa et al., 2018). There are various situations causing falls, trips and slips, they include wet surfaces, damaged ladder steps, polished floors, uneven walking surfaces, and greasy surfaces. Falls leads to substantial numbers in terms of deaths, individual suffering and injury, reduced productivity, employee compensation, and civil liability.

Loss of productivity is an inopportune side effect from falls in the workplace, with the workforce team facing high levels of disintegration. Organizations should provide safe standards at workplaces to prevent its mild and adverse effects. Employee training is key in initializing safe standards at the workplace. Some of the initiatives in preventing falls include appropriate marking of passageways and aisles, places of work, storerooms, passageways shall be maintained orderly and clean in proper sanitary conditions, floor and walking ways should be kept free from loose boards, holes and splinters, and maintaining proper cleaning and maintenance procedures on surfaces (Dave, 2020).

References

Dave Johnson. (2020).Preventing falls on the same level Retrieved 18 June 2020, from https://www.ishn.com/articles/102145-preventing-falls-on-the-same-level

Falls on the Same Level – Safety Talk Ideas. (2017). Retrieved 18 June 2020, from https://www.safetytalkideas.com/safetytalks/falls-on-the-same-level/

Tompa, E., Fisher, G. G., Barón, A. E., & Diguiseppi, C. (2018). Same-level fall injuries in US workplaces by age group, gender, and industry.