A new white paper entitled “New Findings on Serious Injuries and Fatalities,” by BST Solutions, a safety consulting firm that strives to help companies become injury-free, reflects new findings on the differences in preventing serious injuries as opposed to non-serious injuries.  While safety measures such as plain tread plate flooring, slip resistant shoes, safety procedures, and record keeping may help prevent some injuries, fatalities and serious injuries may not be affected.

The findings called for a new model, a new way of thinking about the relationship between minor injuries and serious injuries.  It suggested that safety procedures should be reevaluated and a different strategy to prevent the serious and fatal injuries should be required.  Below are the outlines of the new model:

1.)    All minor injuries are not the same in their potential for serious injury or fatality.
2.)    Injuries of differing severity have differing underlying causes.
3.)    Reducing serious injuries requires a different strategy then reducing less serious injuries.
4.)    The strategy for reducing serious injuries should use precursor data derived from accidents, injuries, near misses and exposure.

Slip and fall accidents cause both serious injuries and minor injuries.  Effectively eliminating slippery work areas could help decrease both types of injuries.  Tread plate alone can become slippery when wet or covered with dust.  Replacing areas of diamond tread plate with SlipNOT® floor plate will instantly create a high traction safe work area.  SlipNOT® can also coat existing tread plate with the non-slip surface; however replacing the tread plate is the recommended solution.  Companies need to take a look at their safety strategies and make sure they are covering both type of injury prevention.

BST Solutions, “New Findings on Serious Injuries and Fatalities,” www.bstsolutions.com, September 9, 2011

 

Filed under: Tread Plate, Workplace Safety by Beth Faraci Social tagging: occupational injuries > Tread Plate