Sample slip, trip and fall prevention program

This sample program is intended to provide general information to consider in developing a slip, trip and fall prevention program. This sample program may or may not represent all components of a slip, trip and fall safety program needed by your unique operations or comply with all legal requirements and/or standards. You are responsible for tailoring the program to address the specific needs of your organization.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Sample policy statement
Training
Housekeeping standards
Seasonal issues
Corrective maintenance procedure
Workplace inspection policy and procedure
Responsibilities
Safety rules
Accident investigation procedure
Additional tools and resources
Appendix A periodic inspection report Appendix B sweeping log
Appendix C walking and working surfaces �� self inspection checklist Appendix D accident investigation report
Appendix E snow and ice control record

1. Introduction

Nationally, falls are the second leading cause of accidental death and a major cause of debilitating injuries. This program is designed to reduce exposure to both visitor and employee slip, trip and fall accidents.

2. Sample policy statement

The most effective safety program policy statements reflect your unique operations and environment. Here is a sample:

“It is the policy of ABC, Inc. to provide our employees and customers safe and healthful conditions in which they can conduct business. We will strive to maintain a facility that is free from identified slip, trip and fall hazards. We have implemented a prevention program that considers the behaviors of people, our equipment, our work methods, processes and finally the environment to reduce and prevent slip, trip and fall accidents. We expect all employees to cooperate in this very important initiative to ensure its success.��

3. Training

Management believes that employee involvement in the site’s safety and health program can only be successful when everyone on the site receives sufficient training to understand what their safety responsibilities and opportunities are, and how to fulfill them. Therefore, training is a high priority to help ensure a safe workplace.

All employees will receive awareness training during orientation. Employees who conduct formal workplace inspections will be trained on their responsibilities and on how to perform them.

Training	Who must attend
Slip, trip, and fall hazard awareness	All employees
Workplace inspections	Employees conducting inspections
Accident response and analysis	Supervisors

4. Housekeeping standards

Housekeeping plays such a critical role in the success of our slip, trip and fall prevention program that all employees must make housekeeping their top priority. The following are minimum accepted guidelines:

Work areas are to be kept clean throughout your shift and a thorough review and cleaning must be completed prior to leaving your shift.
Walkways will be kept clear of electric cords, hoses or any other potential hazards. If walkways cannot be kept clear then they need to be blocked off until the task is completed.
Spill areas must be secured until the spill is removed.
Stock or finished goods will not be stored on stairs, in walkways or in such a manner that would be a hazard to anyone walking through.

5. Seasonal issues

The changing seasons create unique weather-related conditions for which the following procedures have been developed:

Winter snow and ice removal.
- All building entrances will be cleaned of snow and ice, and will be treated with salt, one hour prior to the opening of business.
- Exterior walkways will be inspected hourly and treated as needed.
- Use the form “Snow and Ice Control Record�� found in Appendix E to document the work.
- Parking lots will be inspected daily. Any snow or ice that has accumulated between cars will need to be removed.
During the fall, daily inspections will be made and action taken as needed to ensure walkways are cleared of leaves.

6. Corrective maintenance procedure

When a hazard has been identified through inspection or our hazard reporting program, maintenance must be notified so that the problem can be corrected. The following is the procedure to accomplish this task:

Any problem needs to be communicated to the manager immediately.
The maintenance manager will inspect the problem and communicate the best action to take.
If it can’t be corrected immediately, a temporary control will be put in place to prevent anyone from being injured.

7. Workplace inspection policy and procedure

Our goal is to ensure a safe, clean and hazard free environment for employees and customers. Workplace inspections will be conducted to identify and correct potential safety and health hazards.

Use our “Walking and Working Surfaces �� Self Inspection Checklist�� found in Appendix C to document the inspection.

Inspections will be carried out by supervisors of their functional areas. The manager will inspect common areas and all outside areas including the parking lot.
Any deficiencies or hazards must be acted upon to remove the hazard, warn of it or close off the area in question.

Three types of inspections are used to assess our facility. Each type of inspection has its own purpose.

Annual inspections

Once a year an inspection team made up of representatives of the organization will do a wall-to-wall walk through inspection of the entire worksite. They will use the “Walking and Working Surfaces �� Self Inspection Checklist�� found in Appendix C. The results of this inspection will be used to:

Eliminate or control obvious hazards.
Target specific work areas for more intensive investigation.
Assist in revising the checklists used during periodic safety inspections.
Evaluate the effectiveness of our slip, trip and fall prevention program.

Change of operations surveys

Changes include new equipment, changes to production processes or a change to the building structure or premises. Examine the changed conditions and make recommendations to eliminate or control any hazards that were or may be created as a result of the change. This needs to be comple ted during the design stage of any proposed changes to ensure recommendations are incorporated into the changes. The “Walking and Working Surfaces�� Self Inspection Checklist�� found in Appendix C can be used as a guide for this survey.

Periodic safety inspections

Supervisors or their appointees will inspect their work areas for hazards using the “Walking Surfaces Periodic Inspection Checklist.�� The results of the periodic inspection and any action taken will be documented.

8. Responsibilities

It’s important that all employees understand their responsibilities. The following are some examples that can be tailored to fit your organization’s management structure.

Management responsibilities

Ensure that sufficient employee time, supervisor support and funds are budgeted for safety equipment, training and to carry out the safety program.
Evaluate supervisors each year to make sure they are carrying out their responsibilities as described in this program.
Ensure that incidents are fully investigated and corrective action taken to prevent the hazardous conditions from developing again.
Set a good example by following established safety rules and attending required training.

Supervisor responsibilities

Supervisors must assure this program is adhered to and that all employees follow program policies and procedures.
Ensure that each employee you supervise has received an initial orientation before beginning work.
Observe the employees as they work. Promptly correct any unsafe behavior.
Do a daily walk-around safety-check of the work area and promptly correct any hazards you find.
Set a good example for employees by following safety rules and attending required training.
Investigate all incidents in your area and report your findings to management.
Talk to management about changes to work practices or equipment that will improve employee safety.

Employee Responsibilities

Clean up spills and pick up debris to help ensure others are not injured on company property
Report hazards to supervisors or managers promptly for corrective action.
Follow safety rules, safety standards and training you receive as described in this program
Report all injuries and near miss incidents to your supervisor promptly regardless of how serious.
Make suggestions to your supervisor or management about changes you believe will improve employee safety.

Maintenance/engineering

Must purchase waxes with non-skid characteristic and do not decrease the coefficient of friction of floor surfaces.
Review floor cleaner data sheets to assure that no slippery floors are created.
Must integrate the stair design requirements, uniformity of risers, and tread principles, ramp requirements and slope considerations into building design, and building modifications as appropriate.

Facility safety

Will inspect buildings for hazards and inform maintenance and/or housekeeping of hazards that are identified.
Will supply deicer in buckets along with scoops at building entrances during inclement weather.
Check floor surfaces as requested for slip or trip hazards, determine any needed corrective action and notify appropriate party to correct the problem.

Housekeeping

Must use barricades when the floor they are working on is slippery or presents a tripping hazard. Barricades will be removed as soon as the hazard is corrected.
Place non-skid mats at building entrances during inclement weather. Inspect mats periodically or as needed to ensure they are properly controlling the hazard.

9. Safety rules

The following basic safety rules have been established to control slip, trip and fall accidents. These rules are in addition to safety rules that must be followed when doing particular jobs or operating certain equipment. Failure to comply with these rules will result in disciplinary action.

Always take the proper safety precautions before doing a job. If a job is unsafe, report it to your supervisor. We will find a safer way to do that job.
Horseplay, running and fighting are prohibited.
Clean up spills immediately. Replace all tools and supplies after use.
Keep tools or materials out of designated walkways.
Protect all spill areas. If needed, get someone to help clean up the spill or guard the spill while you get the necessary equipment to clean the spill.
If you see a slip or trip hazard do something about it. It’s the responsibility of everyone to identify and control hazards.
Make sure scraps don’t accumulate where they will become a hazard. Good housekeeping helps prevent injuries.

Footwear

Proper footwear is an important component of our slip, trip and fall prevention program. Footwear needs to be appropriate for the task. In many of the work areas other than our offices, high heeled shoes and leather soled shoes are considered unsafe and must be avoided. It is the responsibility of each employee to obtain and maintain slip resistant footwear in a serviceable condition. Supervisors will ensure that employees are wearing appropriate slip resistant footwear at all times in the workplace.

Mats and Runners

Our goal is to maintain all floor surfaces in a slip resistant condition. In those work areas or situations where this isn’t feasible, mats or runners will be used to provide slip resistance. It is everyone’s responsibility to monitor mats and runners to ensure they continue to provide proper slip resistance and have not become a tripping hazard.

Where mats have been used to control wet areas, either entry ways to the building or wet processes, the following conditions require immediate action:

If pedestrian traffic leaves wet foot prints when stepping off the mat, the mat needs to be replaced with a dry one or an additional mat needs to be placed at the end of the first mat.
If the mat has become wrinkled or bunched up it needs to be reset so it is flat and doesn’t present a tripping hazard.

10. Accident investigation procedure

All accidents will be investigated and analyzed to identify the root cause. The following steps will be taken when an accident occurs.

Helping the injured person will be the primary concern immediately following an accident. Never leave the person alone. If assistance is needed send someone else or have someone stay with the person while you get help.
If the injured party is not an employee, do not admit liability or fault for the accident. If they ask if we are going to pay for their medical costs simply state that someone from �� Insurance Group will be in touch with them.
Protect the accident scene to prevent anyone else from getting hurt and to preserve the accident scene in an “as is�� condition to help ensure an accurate investigation.
Contact the supervisor of the area where the accident occurred so they can begin the collection of data and accident analysis.
The information will be collected and the analysis completed using our “Accident Investigation Report.��
Photos need to be taken of the general area, any defective conditions and anything else that could be considered as a contributing factor of the accident.
Once the root cause is determined, corrective action will be initiated immediately following standard procedure.

11. Additional tools and resources

The following resources are available to help in the development of your slip, trip and fall prevention program. They can be found on .

Loss Control Topics

Preventing Restaurant Employee Slips and Falls
Sidewalk Inspection Checklist
Parking Lot Safety
CPSC Tips for Public Playground Safety
Fall Prevention Checklist
NIOSH Slip, trip and fall prevention in the healthcare industry

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171-0954 (3/16) LC 11-187

Appendix A

12. Periodic inspection report

Modify this form to meet the unique characteristics of your facility. The items listed are a guide and may not include all your possible hazards.

Item	Location	Action taken
Completed by:	Site:
Accompanied by:	Date:	Last insp:
1. Housekeeping
2. Mats and runners
3. Walking surfaces
4. Stairs
5. Handrails
6. Gratings
7. Lighting
8. Aisles
9. Headroom
10. Gas cylinders
11. Transitions
12. Warnings
13. Storage areas
14. Carpeting
15. Exterior walkways
16. Speed bumps
17. Wheel stops
18. Elevators
19. Floor/roof openings
20. Other
Copies provided to:

171-0954 (3/14) LC 11-187

Appendix B

Sweeping log

An entry is to be made on this log every time the floor is swept or is observed to be free of foreign material. Sign you name and indicate the time of the observation or cleaning.

Time	Name	Time	Name
Department:		Date:

171-0954 (3/14) LC 11-187

Appendix C

13. Walking and working surfaces �� self-inspection checklist

Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) standards for walking and working surfaces apply to all permanent places of employment, except where only domestic, mining, or agricultural work is performed. This “self-inspection�� checklist, developed from OSHA guidance, can be used by supervisors to create a safer work environment.

General work environment	Yes	No	N/A
Is a documented, functioning housekeeping program in place?
Are all work areas kept clean, sanitary and orderly?
Are work surfaces kept dry or are means taken to ensure the surfaces are slip-resistant?
Are all spilled materials or liquids cleaned up immediately using proper procedures?

Walkways	Yes	No	N/A
Are aisles and passageways kept clear?
Are aisles and walkways appropriately marked?
Are wet surfaces covered with non-slip materials?
Are holes in floors or walking surfaces repaired, covered, or otherwise made safe?
Is there safe clearance in aisles where mechanical handling equipment is operating?
Are materials and equipment stored so that sharp objects will not interfere with the walkway?
Are changes of direction or elevation readily identifiable?
Are aisles or walkways that pass near moving or operating machinery, welding or similar operations, arranged so that workers will not be subjected to potential hazards?
Is adequate headroom provided for the entire length of aisles and walkways?
Are standard guardrails provided wherever aisles or walkway surfaces are elevated more than 30 in. (76.2 cm) above any adjacent floor or the ground?
Are bridges provided over conveyors and similar type hazards?

Stairs and stairways	Yes	No*	N/A
Are there standard stair rails or handrails on all stairways having four or more risers?
Are all stairways at least 22 in. (55.9 cm) wide?
Are step risers on stairs uniform from top to bottom?
Are steps on stairs designed or provided with a surface that renders them slip resistant?
Are stairway handrails located between 30 and 34 in. (76.2 and 86.4 cm) above the leading edge of stair treads?
Do stairway handrails have at least a three in. (7.6 cm) of clearance between the handrails and the wall or surface they are mounted on?
Where doors or gates open directly on a stairway, is there a platform provided so the swing of the door does not reduce the width of the platform to less than 21 in. (53.3 cm)?
Where stairs exit directly into any area where vehicles may be operated, are adequate barriers and warnings provided to prevent workers from stepping into the path of traffic?

Elevated surfaces	Yes	No*	N/A
Are signs posted, when appropriate, showing the elevated surface load capacity?
Are surfaces higher than 30 in. (76.2 cm) above the floor provided with standard guardrails?
Are all elevated surfaces (beneath which people or machinery could be exposed to falling objects) provided with standard four in. (10.2-cm) toe-boards?
Is a permanent means of access/egress provided to elevated storage and work surfaces?
Is required headroom provided where necessary?
Are materials on elevated surfaces piled, stacked, or racked in a manner to prevent them from tipping, falling, collapsing, rolling or spreading?
Are bridge plates used when transferring materials between docks and trucks or rail cars?

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171-1083 (02/14) LC 10-265 H June 2010

Sample accident investigation form

Accident information

Date of accident: __________________________________ Date of report: _______________________________________

Where did the accident occur? ___________________________________________________________________________

Time of accident: __________________

a.m.
p.m.
On site
Off site

Name(s) of injured: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Are these company employee(s)?

Contractors?

Names of non-company individuals (if applicable): ____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Occupation of employee(s): _____________________________________________________________________________

Witnesses to accident: _________________________________________________________________________________

Description of any property damage: ______________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Description of events: __________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contributing factors

Act(s) (describe): ______________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conditions (describe): __________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Root cause(s) of accident: _______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Corrective actions to take

(Describe what actions need to be taken to prevent a reoccurrence)

Corrective action	Person responsible	Date completed

Report developed by:____________________________________Dept.: ____________________________________

Report reviewed by:_____________________________________ Date:_____________________________________

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171-0830 (1/14) LC 12��169

14. Snow and ice control record

PAGE __________

Date	Time	Weather	Initials	Shoveled	Plowed	Salted	Sanded	Quantity of salt / Sand used \| Notes

Instructions: Use this log to document efforts to maintain walking and driving surfaces during winter weather. Keeping completed records may improve your defense position in the event of an incident.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. �� Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“��) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you, �� does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

171-0878 (1/15) LC 09-444 H