In an article entitled “Use a Scientific Approach to Prevent Slips and Falls” by Kenneth Fisher, OSHA states that “Slip resistance can vary from surface to surface or even on the same surface, depending upon surface conditions and employee footwear. Slip resistant flooring material (or treatments) such as textured, serrated, or punched surfaces and steel grating may offer additional slip resistance.” Slip resistant flooring should be installed in areas that are slippery due to wet and oily conditions.
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The Texas and Florida Departments of Transportation (DOT) have made SlipNOT the standard for bridge expansion joint covers. SlipNOT® non slip plate is the ultimate solution for covering expansion joints. SlipNOT durable, permanent non slip plate covers keep pedestrians and workers on their feet. The non slip surface helps prevent slips and falls while the surface hardness of 55 to 63 on the Rockwell “C” scale and bond strength of at least 4,000 psi, ensures strength and longevity.
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According to an article entitled “Reducing Slips, Trips and Falls in Stairways” by Wayne Maynard and George Brogmus, “More serious upper and/or lower extremity injuries occur traveling down a stairway than when traveling up a stair way. In stairway decent, the tread depth – or horizontal surface – must be adequate for the ball of the foot to land on the tread without extending over the step below.” There are specific recommendations for riser and tread dimensions to help prevent these injuries from occurring.
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SlipNOT aluminum punched plank is an excellent alternative to smooth bar aluminum grating for applications that need to be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. SlipNOT aluminum punched plank meets the standards set by the ADA for wheelchair accessibility and high heel traffic. The SlipNOT punched plank provides a high coefficient of friction, excellent structural strength, is light weight and less expensive than ADA compliant smooth bar aluminum grating (7-4 spacing). The diagonal punched pattern still allows light and liquids to drain through, like aluminum smooth bar grating. SlipNOT also offers unpunched plank for those applications where a solid decking is required. Whether punched or unpunched, SlipNOT planking is low maintenance. This is a superior alternative to smooth bar aluminum grating with plate on top, and is more cost efficient.
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According to an article entitled “Slip and Fall Accidents” by Ashwini Kulkami, slip and fall accidents “are the second leading cause of injuries in the United States.” Approximately 16,000 deaths arise from slip and fall accidents. Kulkami goes on to state that the most common places for slips and falls outside of the home include malls, schools, parks, roads, among others.
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According to an article titled “Steps in Safety Strategy: The Gap Analysis & Implementation Plan” by Thomas Krause, the first steps to developing a workplace safety strategy involves building a foundation for the change required and developing the knowledge and emotional commitment of the organization’s leaders through a communications and governance structure. Once these steps are established, it is necessary to develop an implementation plan that bridges the gap between where a company stands now and where it wants to be.
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President Obama created the Food Safety Group in order to advise the administration on how to upgrade food safety for the 21st century. The Food Safety Working Group is recommending a new and public health-focused approach to food safety based on three principles: prioritizing prevention, strengthening surveillance and enforcement and improving response and recovery.
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In an article titled “Low Cost Ways to Improve Safety” by Frank McDaniel, the author highlights two recommendations for improving workplace safety with minimal impact on the budget. He elucidates that balance is a key element to the construction industry during tough economic times. It is important to balance safety, quality control and production budget. When any portion of the budget is cut or adjusted, the entire company is affected. While cutting the safety budget may seem tempting, instead of letting productivity or quality control slip, he reminds us that preventing injuries that adversely impact the bottom line saves companies in the end. These recommendations can improve production and quality processes by increasing employee participation and lowering insurance premiums.
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According to an article entitled “Fall Protection for Residential Construction” by Marvin V. Greene, OSHA’s Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) wants OSHA to pull the standard fall protection policy due to the fact that it’s being deemed “infeasible.” Currently, residential construction workers follow a “less stringent” set of requirements, which in many cases; put them at risk for a fall.
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According to an article entitled “Making Your Stairs Safe” posted on SafetyMagic.com, the “stair tread is one of the most important and most frequently overlooked aspect of stair safety. A good stair tread creates a non-slippery surface that increases traction on the stairs and reduces the likelihood that a fall will occur.” Some safety stair tread options that are indicated as a viable solution include rubber, metal, polypropylene as well as braided fabrics.
OSHA has specific requirements for the construction of stairs in most work environments. “All treads shall be reasonably slip-resistant and the nosings shall be of non slip finish. Welded bar grating treads without nosings are acceptable, providing the leading edge can be readily identified by personnel descending the stairway and provided the tread is serrated or is of definite non slip design.”
The existing material of the current stairs greatly impacts the type of safety stair tread that is incorporated.ServiceMagic.com states that “It’s important to realize that the visual appearance of the stairs can be just as important as the slip-resistant material.” In my opinion, if the need to incorporate a durable slip resistant surface on metal stairs, slip resistant metal safety stair treads would be a perfect solution to help decrease slips and falls.
Safety stair treads are commonly used in both residential and commercial applications to prevent slip and fall injuries, which are the second highest rated type of injury next to motor vehicle accidents. There are appropriate solutions to make any stair tread a safety tread in any situation.
ServiceMagic. “Making Your Stairs Safe.”
United States Department of Labor. “Fixed Industrial Stairs.”
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