The National Safety Council reports “injury facts” in the utility industry that employs around 834,000 people. Throughout 2005, the utility industry reported 7,230 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses.

Please see graph below:

This graph speaks for itself in regards to the issue of slips and falls on a ground level. Many workplace injuries are caused from floor and ground surfaces. As you can see, safety flooring should be an integral component to safety within the utility industry.

The top five events that lead to injury in 2005 are as follows:

Overexertion
Contact with/struck by/caught in object or equipment
Fall on same level
Fall to lower level
Transportation accidents

Two of the five events that lead to workplace injury involve falls; falls on same level being more pertinent than falls to a lower level. This may seem surprising but falls on the ground level are more common than one might assume. Falls on a ground level are caused by uneven walking surfaces, cracked sidewalks, greasy, wet, fatty substances and liquids that cover the floor, and many others factors.

Non slip flooring can eliminate injuries within the utility industry due to slips, trips and falls on a higher level or ground level. Non slip road plates, sidewalk covers, ramps, and vault covers keep workers and pedestrians safe every step of the way.

“Injury facts: Spotlight on utilities” Safety+Health June 2008

Filed under: Workplace Safety by Beth Faraci