Although offices are typically considered safer than industrial environments, they remain busy and hazardous environments which can increase the likelihood of injuries. Slips, trips and falls are amongst some of the most common types of injury in an office environment due to lighting issues, poor cable management and poorly designed layouts. It is important that businesses consider these risks by maintaining a safe office environment to protect the safety of their workforce and maintain the performance of their business.
Why it matters
Reducing slips, trips and falls in a workplace is crucial for preventing injuries and ensuring that employees are as safe as possible. Office spaces can be full of hazards, from loose wires, uneven surfaces, poor lighting and so on, so it’s important that businesses take the time to prevent falls where possible.
In addition, preventing injuries is not just important for an employee’s own safety, but it remains within the best interests of the company. The more employees that are injured the more the performance of the company will be negatively affected.
Common causes of slips, trips and falls in an office setting
Poor Lighting
Insufficient office lighting can make it difficult to spot potential hazards which increases the risk of falls. Similarly, bright lights can be equally as hazardous as they have the potential to cause blurred and impacted vision.
Cables and wires
Poorly organised offices may have loose cables and wires trailing across floors. These can create a trip hazard, especially when they run across areas with high levels of foot traffic.
Workplace layout
A poor office layout can significantly increase the risk of slips, trips and falls. This can happen when furniture and objects obstruct walkways. If employees are distracted or in a rush, they may not notice these obstructions resulting in trips and falls.
Flooring
Old or poorly installed flooring and carpets can start to become loose over time and significantly increase the risk of trips and falls in an office setting.
Prevention strategies
To prevent the likelihood of slips, trips and falls it is crucial that workplaces take the appropriate steps to reduce hazards. This can be achieved by improving lighting, organising cables, designing a safe office layout and completing regular maintenance tasks.
Improved lighting
To prevent accidents and improve visibility in an office it is important to use ambient lighting with a balance of natural and artificial light.
To achieve this, offices should be designed with large windows to allow ample amounts of natural light into the space. When it comes to artificial lighting it is best to use a colour temperature between 3000 and 4000 Kelvin, this will allow individuals to comfortably see their surrounding environment.
Additionally, lighting should remain consistent throughout all levels of a workplace, as changing light levels can create extreme contrast and negatively affects visibility.
Cable organisation
A combination of tools and techniques should be used to keep cables safely stored away from walkways. Desk or floor cable organisation tools can be used to ensure that cables remain organised and covered to prevent trips and falls.
Additionally, if cables are connected to the same hardware, cable ties can be used to keep them together. If the power socket is too far away from your desk, then use an extension led to ensure there are minimal wires running across the floor.
Safe workplace layout
Offices should be designed with safety in mind to minimise the risk of trips and falls. For instance, placing desks too closely together can create small walkways and increase the risk of a fall. An office should be designed with walkways no smaller than 0.75 metres wide.
Regular maintenance
Regular office maintenance significantly reduces the likelihood of a fall by keeping the workplace organised and free from damage. This involves regularly checking the flooring to prevent loose carpets or floor tiles and ensuring minimal clutter to keep walkways free from obstructions.
How to be prepared for slips, trips and falls
In the event that slips, trips or falls do happen it is extremely important that workplaces are fully prepared to deal with incidents appropriately, this can be done by taking the following steps:
First Aid Kits: All workplaces must have first aid kits readily available, fully stocked and in an accessible location to deal with minor injuries, like cuts and bruises.
Emergency contacts: Workplaces must register an emergency contact for every employee in the workplace. These contacts typically include family members and close friends that can quickly be contacted in the event of an emergency.
Training: Employees must undergo the appropriate training to deal with emergency situations and accidents. In addition, employees should be trained to report hazards, like spills or loose flooring, to avoid the occurrence of accidents.
Signage: The appropriate signage should be used throughout the workplace to signify employees of potential hazards. For instance, wet floor signs should be used in areas where spills have been cleaned.
Preventing slips, trips and falls in the workplace requires a pro-active and multi-layered approach. By focusing on effective lighting strategies, organisational policies, employee training and safe workplace layout, businesses can make their workplace a safer environment and significantly reduce the risk of accidents.
