1. Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention
Name Job Title Phone address
Personalize the slide with the following information:
Name
Job Title
Phone Number
address
Introductions
Introduce yourself to the class. Discuss the following information with the class:
Emergency exits
Restrooms
Breaks
General rules of the class
Have the participants introduce themselves and give an example of a slip, trip and/or fall that they have encountered at work.

2. What’s the problem ? It is the #1 leading cause of injury
STF’s represent 20% of all COV claims
fiscal years there were 9,876 cases
Total incurred costs of these claims:
Ask the participants why slips, trips and falls (STF) are a problem.
Discussion
Explain that STF are the leading cause of workplace injuries for the Commonwealth as a whole.
Ask participants to guess how many workers’ compensation claims were STF.
Ask the participants to guess how much money was spent on these claims.
NOTE:
Create an agency specific slide to compare your agency against the Commonwealth. See how your agency stands up.
$41,543,173 +

3. Slip, Trip and Fall Claims Breakdown
Different Level (32%)
Same Level (23%)
Liquid & Spills (14%)
Ice / Snow (12%)
Stairs (7%)
Misc (7%)
Slip / No Fall (3%)
Ladder / Scaffold 145 (1%)
Floor Openings (1%)
9,876
This slide breaks down the different types of STF.
NOTE:
Create an agency specific slide that breaks down the types of STF your agency has encountered. See how you compare to the Commonwealth.

4. Slips
Slip
-loss of balance caused by too little friction between a person’s foot and a walking surface.
Common Causes:
Wet or oily surfaces,
Occasional spills,
Weather hazards,
Loose, unanchored rugs or mats, and
Flooring or other walking surfaces that are worn.
Ask participants to define “Slips.”
Discussion
Read the definition of slips
Definition: Slips happen when there is a loss of balance caused by too little friction between a person’s foot and a walking surface.
Ask participants to give examples of what could cause slips.
Discuss each common cause and give examples or ask the participants to give examples.

5. Trips Trip - hit an object, lose your balance and fall Common Causes:
Obstructed view
Poor lighting
Clutter in your way
Wrinkled carpeting
Uncovered cables
Drawers not being closed
Uneven (steps, thresholds) walking surfaces
Ask participants to define “Trips.”
Discussion
Read the definition of trips.
Definition: Trips happen when your foot collides (strikes, hits) an object causing you to lose your balance and eventually fall.
Ask participants to give examples of what could cause trips.
Discuss each common cause and give examples or ask the participants to give examples.

6. Falls Fall: - when you lose your balance & drop to the floor
There are three types of falls:
Falls on the same level
Slip or trip immediately precedes fall to floor or walkway
Falls to lower level
Falls are from platforms, docks, ladders, steps or stairs
Jumps to lower level
An intentional jump from one level to another
Employee jumps off ladder, dock, equipment
Ask participants to define “Falls.”
Discussion
Read the definition of falls.
Ask participants if they can name the three types of falls.
Discuss each type of fall and give examples or ask the participants to give examples.

7. Prevention Good housekeeping Quality of walking surfaces (flooring)
Selection of proper footwear
Appropriate pace of work
Ask the question:
“How do we prevent falls due to slips and trips?”
Let the participants answer the question.
Discuss the prevention steps.
NOTE:
You may want to use an easel, chalkboard or some other writing surface and write down the participants’ ideas. If they come up with prevention techniques not listed, think about incorporating those ideas into the training program.

8. Housekeeping Clean up spills immediately Mark spills and wet areas
Mop or sweep debris from floor
Remove obstacles from walkways
Keep walkways free of clutter
Secure mats, rugs and carpets
Ask participants:
“Why is housekeeping important in preventing STF?”
Discussion
Explain to participants that good housekeeping is the first and most important (fundamental) level of preventing falls due to slips and trips.
Discuss the list on the slide.
Ask participants if they know of any injuries caused by one of these risk factors. Have them tell what the injury was, the risk factor and how could have it been avoided.

9. Housekeeping Cover cables that cross walkways
Close file cabinet or storage drawers
Cover cables that cross walkways
Keep working areas and walkways well lit
Replace burned out bulbs
Discuss the list on the slide.
Ask participants if they know of any injuries caused by one of these risk factors. Have them tell what the injury was, the risk factor and how could have it been avoided.
Remember, without good housekeeping practices, any other preventative measures such as installation of sophisticated flooring, specialty footwear or training on techniques of walking will never be fully effective.

10. Flooring Change or modify walking surfaces Recoat or replace floors
Install mats
Pressure-sensitive abrasive strips
Abrasive-filled paint-on coating
Metal or synthetic decking
The next level in preventing STF is changing or modifying walking surfaces.
Discuss the controls listed on this slide.
Ask participants:
“Are you aware of any of these controls currently being used at your agency?”
Discussion
Explain to participants that it is critical to remember that high-tech flooring requires good housekeeping as much as any other flooring
NOTE:
Take pictures of any of these controls and insert into the presentation behind this slide.

11. Footwear Conditions: Floors - oily or wet Considerable time outdoors
Advantages
Properly fitted
Increased comfort
Prevent fatigue
Improve safety
In workplaces where floors may be oily or wet or where workers spend considerable time outdoors, prevention of fall accidents should focus on selecting proper footwear.
Ask participants:
“What type of footwear do you currently wear for the job you do?”
Discussion
Explain to participants that since no footwear has anti-slip properties for every condition, they should consult with a manufacturers’ representative for the correct footwear based on job duties.
Explain the advantages of proper footwear and how they can help reduce STF injuries.
NOTE:
Talk about agency specific requirements for footwear. Talk about best practices: Outdoors = work boots Indoors = at a minimum sneakers

12. What can YOU do to avoid slipping at work?
Take your time
Pay attention
Adjust stride to the task
Walk with feet pointed slightly outward
Make wide turns at corners.
Discuss with the participants the techniques used for avoiding slips at work.
Take your time and pay attention to where you are going.
Adjust your stride to a pace that is suitable for the walking surface and task you are doing.
Walk with your feet slightly pointed outward
Make wide turns at corners
Ask participants if they can think of any other techniques that might help avoid a slip at work.
Discussion
Here are some additional things to consider:
Clean up your messes
Use handrails on steps
Climb safely

13. What can YOU do to avoid tripping at work?
Sufficient lighting
Portable lighting
Watch where you are walking
Carrying or pushing objects
obstructions, spills or objects lying on the floor
Discuss with participants the techniques used for avoiding tripping at work.
Always used installed light sources that provide sufficient light for the task.
Use a flashlight or other portable light source (flood lights, light sticks, stationary lights) if you enter dark areas where there is no light.
Watch where you are walking.
Ensure that what you are carrying or pushing does not prevent you from seeing obstructions, spills or objects lying on the floor)
Ask participants if they can think of any other techniques that could help avoid a trip at work.
Discussion
Here are some other things to consider:
Steer around hazards
Do not carry loads that block your view

14. Inclement Weather Slow down to react to a change in traction
Wearing slip-resistant shoes or overshoes
carry your work shoes
Sunglasses
outdoors in ice and snow
Treat walking surfaces
Wet shoes on dry floors – Caution !
Discuss “Inclement Weather”. Talk about snow, ice, rain, wind, hail and dew. Remember that all of these conditions can create a hazardous walking surface.
Discuss points on slide and ask participants if they have examples of injuries that could have been caused by inclement weather.
Discussion
Remember, wet shoes on a dry surface can be just as hazardous as dry shoes on a wet surface.

15. Report Hazards Immediately
If you cannot fix the hazard yourself then:
Immediately report the hazard
Alert or warn others in the area
Mark the area or stay there until help arrives
Hazards not fixed in a timely manner
Contact the agency Safety Officer
Ask participants what they do if they come across a hazard.
Discussion
Review your agency’s specific policy or procedures on reporting accidents.

16. Can you identify what is wrong in the following pictures?
The following pictures are generic in nature and can be used in any presentation concerning STF.
It is strongly recommended that the instructor take agency specific pictures. Incorporate those pictures into this training program.
Remember, if you take pictures that the participants can identify with, you will get better results and buy-in.

17. Ask the participants what is wrong with this slide.
Discussion
Move onto the next slide.

18. This is a broken stair.
Explain to participants that this defect/hazard could contribute to a STF.
Ask the participants what should be done.
Discussion

19. Ask the participants what is wrong with this slide.
Discussion
Move onto the next slide.

20. This slide represents a trip and fall hazard.
If you look closely at the slide, the root of the tree has grown under the walkway and pushing the brick up.
Uneven walking surfaces. Trip and fall from the same level.
NOTE:
Refer back to the slide that represents Slip, Trip and Fall Claims breakdown. Remember that falls from the same level represent 50 % of all STF.

21. Ask participants what is wrong with this slide.
Discussion
Ask participants how they would fix this hazard.
This slide represents a trip hazard. Here you can see an electrical cord in the middle of the walkway. This cord is plugged into an electrical outlet.
Rearrange the room so that the piece of equipment is close to the outlet or have an additional outlet installed. If there is no way to rearrange the room or install a new outlet, then run the cord up the wall across the ceiling and down the wall to prevent the trip and fall hazard.
The last resort would be to tape down the cord or use a cord cover as a means of preventing someone from tripping.

22. Ask the participants what is wrong with this slide.
Discussion
Ask the participants how this hazard could be corrected.
This slide represents a slip and fall hazard. There is a spill on the floor.
Move on to the next slide.

23. This slide represents a spill that has been identified.
Using a sign to notify individuals that the floor is wet is a good preventive measure. Remember though, that just because it has been identified, it must still be cleaned up.

24. Ask participants what is wrong with this slide.
Discussion
Ask the participant how they would address this situation
This slide represents trip and/or fall hazard. A portion of the sidewalk has given way to a sink-hole.
If you look in the upper left hand corner you will see a barricade. Anytime a significant size hole is identified on walking surface, barricades or indicators of some sort should be installed around the hole to prevent a trip and fall.

25. Ask the participants if they can identify the hazard in this slide.
Discussion
Look in the middle of the slide and you will see a portion of the flooring that has either worn away or been removed.
Ask the participants why this is a hazard.
This slide represents a slip, trip and fall hazard. Think about why all three are possible and discuss with the participants.

26. Ask participants what is wrong with this slide.
Discussion
This slide represents a slip, trip and fall hazard.
Slip: if it is wet outside and the mat is folded back, then the floor is getting wet instead of the mat absorbing the water.
Trip: the mat is folded back and someone could catch their foot on the mat and trip.
Fall: both a wet floor and caught foot could contribute to a fall.

27. Ask participants what is wrong with this slide.
Discussion
This slide represents a trip and fall hazard.
In this picture you can see that the sidewalk is uneven.

28. Ask the participants if they can identify all the hazards located in this slide.
Discussion
This picture is of a stairwell. The fire door should not be propped open. Storage of materials should be in stairwells.
Trip hazards: Trash cans in front of doorway. Cinderblock propping open the door.
Chair is blocking an emergency cut-off valve. The chair could also represent a struck against hazard. Someone goes to sit in the chair, and strikes their head on the pipe and valve behind it.
This chair could also encourage smoking in the stairwell.
Any other hazards?

29. Ask participants to identify the hazard in this slide.
Discussion
This slide represents a trip and fall hazard.
Here is a damaged piece of flooring. Someone has attempted to fix it by placing tape over the area that is lifting up.

30. Ask participants what is wrong with this picture.
Discussion
Look closely at the walk areas and the arrangement of the parking spaces.
The bump guard for the car is obstructing the path from the car to the walk area.

31. Questions Ask the participants if they have any additional questions.
Discussion
Thank the participants for attending.
Dismissal