Preventing Common Slips, Trips and Falls Incidents
Written by Staff Writer
Most trips start with something small. It rarely feels dangerous in the moment, like these three examples:
- A power cord gets pulled across a walkway
- A pallet gets parked just for a couple of minutes
- A floor mat curls up at the corner
Trips and falls often have clear, repeatable causes: clutter, layout, rushing and missing safety guidelines. That's also why they are so preventable. When teams focus on improving the system instead of assigning blame, worksites become safer.
Why Trip Hazards Happen and Common Causes
Trips are stubborn because they are usually created by normal work. Hazards can occur in everyday scenarios when:
- Tools get set down
- Materials get staged
- Temporary cords and hoses appear
- Traffic patterns shift as jobs change
They also show up in “in-between” places where nobody feels ownership. Example locations include:
- Thresholds
- Ramps
- Mechanical rooms
- Storage corners
- Areas behind equipment
When a hazard exists in one of these locations for a long enough period, workers begin to notice it less, and eventually, it becomes invisible.
Examples of Slips, Trips and Falls
A trip can happen when a foot catches on something it should not or when the walking surface suddenly changes. Trip hazards can turn dangerous quickly, especially in the middle of a busy shift with people and tools moving.
Common Trip Hazards You Actually See on Jobsites
These hazards are easy to miss because they fade into the background. Until someone is moving fast or carrying equipment.
Watch for:
- Cords, hoses, welding leads and temporary cables across walkways
- Pallets, staged materials and clutter blocking travel paths
- Broken concrete, potholes and uneven doorway transitions
- Curled mats, loose runners and peeling tape edges
- Open drawers, protruding forks, low beams and shin-level parts
- Floor openings, missing covers and unmarked elevation changes
Stairs, ladders and platforms create their own risks when housekeeping slips. One stray bolt on a step can start a painful chain reaction.
What OSHA Expects from Workplaces to Prevent Slip and Fall Accidents
OSHA’s walking-working surfaces requirements in general industry are found in 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D. Construction has related expectations under 29 CFR 1926, including requirements tied to housekeeping and fall protection.
The exact citation is not the only point. The expectation is that employers keep walking and working surfaces maintained, keep aisles and passageways clear and address hazardous conditions before they injure someone.
OSHA also cares about follow-through. If a site identifies trip hazards during inspections, but nothing gets fixed, that paperwork can become evidence that the risk was known.
A Practical Risk Assessment for Fall Prevention and Mitigating Risks
Many teams overcomplicate risk assessment. A simple, repeatable method works better than a perfect form that nobody touches.
A helpful approach is to look at three factors:
- Exposure
- Severity
- Likelihood
Exposure asks how often people pass through the area. Severity asks what a fall could realistically cause there, like a head strike near machinery or a fall from an edge. Likelihood asks whether the hazard is obvious, stable and controlled, or whether it changes daily.
When exposure is high or when severity is serious, the fix should be immediate.
How to Reduce Trips and Falls
The best fixes remove the hazard, not just the symptoms. In many workplaces, that means combining layout changes, good housekeeping practices and better visual cues.
1. Clean Paths Instead of Cluttered Walkways
Aisles and walkways should be treated like equipment. They need clear boundaries, routine checks and a standard that everyone understands.
Good practices include consistent storage zones, proper footwear and marked walk paths for travel routes. When a path has a purpose, it is less likely to become a temporary dumping ground.
For employers building a more complete safety picture, the construction site hazards resource can help teams spot the most common problem areas before they turn into severe injuries.
2. Pay Attention to Cords, Hoses and Temporary Lines
Temporary utilities create some of the most persistent trip risks and potential hazards. They also tend to move throughout the day.
Whenever possible, route lines overhead, use cord covers designed for traffic and keep crossings at right angles. If a line must cross a walkway, the crossing should be planned, visible and protected.
Small changes also matter. Shorter hose runs, dedicated outlets and better staging can remove the need for an unofficial and quick cord path that becomes permanent.
3. Add Guardrails for Elevated Work
Not every trip becomes a simple stumble. Near edges, platforms and floor openings, a trip can become a fall from height.
That is where fall protection planning matters. Employers and workers who need clear, job-ready guidance should look at fall prevention training to reinforce the controls that keep a misstep from becoming life-changing.
Preventing Repeat Incidents
A lot of slip, trip and fall prevention fails because people treat it as common sense. Common sense is not consistent, especially across different crews, shifts and job sites.
Training works best when it gives workers a shared way to see hazards, report them quickly and fix what is fixable. An effective slips, trips and falls certificate course provides focused instruction for crews that want clear expectations, plain-language guidance and usable prevention steps.
Why Online Courses Work Well for Workplace Safety
Many workers need training that fits real schedules, and online courses are often the simplest way to keep work moving while still meeting training expectations where applicable.
Online training helps because it offers:
- Flexible access from any device
- Clear, plain-language instruction that does not waste time
- A certificate of completion available right after finishing
For employers, that last point especially matters. Proof of training (where required) reduces downtime, makes it easier to manage renewals and onboarding and keeps worksites safer.