Topic:  Walking/Working Surfaces

 

What are you aiming for?

     We have all heard the adage that practice makes perfect.  If you want to be good at the piano you practice.  If you want to be good at golf, you practice.  The same is true for safety.  If you want to be good in safety you must practice it.  So how do you apply this to walking/working surfaces?  Let’s take a look at how good working surfaces can create a safer work environment.

 

Walking/Working Hazards and Potential Solutions

· Slips  It is often easy for people to accept slip hazards as a part of the job.  The water on the floor has been there since anyone can remember, chemicals/oils are almost impossible to keep of the floor completely and how in the world are you supposed to get a handle on ice, it is just a part of winter.  The first step in winning the war on slip hazards is recognizing that these are in fact hazards.  People are routinely injured slipping both on and off the job.  Common injuries include: strained muscles, back injuries, concussions, scrapes/bruises and yes even fatalities.  Now you have a choice to make: continue to have these injuries with the physical impact they bring or work to reduce or eliminate the hazards altogether.  Let’s take a look at the hazards on your job site before we explore some common problems and solutions.

 

Where are the slip hazards on your job site?

What is your plan to correct these issues?

 

Slip hazard recommendations to consider:

Hose, pipe or channel pump leaks out of walkways and into u-drains.

Mix non-skid materials into paint to provide better non-slip surfaces.

Better housekeeping for spilled/leaking chemicals.

Sand / Ice melting tablets on icy walkways.

Block off portions of parking lot when snow is projected to better clear parking areas for oncoming shifts.

Barricade slippery surfaces so people won’t walk through them.

· Trips  Trips are another hazard and are typically brought about by uneven floor surfaces or cords, hoses and materials left in waking or working areas.  This is another area that we have come to accept as a part of the job.  Fortunately, this one is a little easier to fix.  Suspending cords and hoses overhead along with patching those holes in the floor can go a long way to removing trip hazards. 

Copyright 2006

 

Innovative Safety Solutions