How to Prevent Fall Hazards and Other Injuries

Written by Staff Writer

Falls are among the most common causes of injury in the workplace, but they're also among the most preventable. Whether it's a slip in an office hallway, a trip over misplaced equipment or a fall from an elevated platform, these incidents can lead to serious injuries, missed workdays and long-term health consequences.

Luckily, with a bit of preparation and some smart safety practices, you'll have everything you need to prevent workplace falls and maintain a safe and productive work environment where everyone feels taken care of.

How Do Falls Occur?

Falls typically happen due to a combination of unsafe conditions and unsafe actions. Understanding both is the first step toward preventing injuries.

Unsafe conditions in a workplace can include:

• Unguarded edges on platforms or stairs
• Open holes in floors or spaces on walking surfaces
• Damaged or poorly maintained ladders or stairs
• Wet, oily or slick flooring
• Inadequate lighting
• Unmarked elevation changes
• Unstable or uneven surfaces

Workers may also take unsafe actions that put them at risk, such as:

• Working at a height without proper fall protection
• Improper use of ladders or scaffolding
• Reaching or leaning over edges or guardrails
• Moving about quickly while not paying attention to the surroundings
• Failing to follow equipment guidelines or PPE instructions

Learn More

• Fall Protection
• Fall Hazards
• Portable Ladder Safety

Slips

Slips occur when there is too little traction between your shoes and any walking surface. They can happen suddenly and without warning, especially in high-traffic or wet areas.

Common causes of slips include:

• Wet or oily surfaces
• Spilled liquids or powders
• Loose rugs or mats
• Flooring with inconsistent traction
• Weather-related moisture (e.g., rain or snow)

To reduce the risk of slipping on surfaces with poor traction:

• Take your time: Never rush on these kinds of surfaces.
• Constantly look ahead, not just down.
• Adjust your stride to match each surface's condition.
• Turn corners slowly, using wide turns whenever possible.
• Walk with your feet slightly turned outward for better balance.

Learn More

• Slip Prevention and Mitigation
• Slip and Fall Prevention
• Older Women at Higher Risk of Hospitalization From Falls at Work
• Slip and Fall Prevention

Trips

Trips happen when your foot unexpectedly hits an object or surface, causing you to lose balance.

Common causes of trips include:

• Poor lighting
• Cluttered walkways
• Exposed cables or cords
• Wrinkled carpets
• Uneven flooring or thresholds
• Items left in walking paths
• Open drawers or cabinet doors

To reduce the risk of tripping:

• Remove clutter and obstacles from walkways.
• Use adequate light fixtures to ensure good visibility.
• Fix uneven flooring or thresholds.
• Never block your view when carrying items.
• Use a flashlight in dark or unfamiliar areas.

Learn More

• Wearable Sensors Being Used to Reduce Tripping Risks
• Seven Steps to a Safer Office
• Office Safety Fact Sheet
• Trip Prevention Guidelines

Immediate Actions You Can Take to Prevent Falls

Maintaining a clean, organized workspace is one of the most effective ways to prevent falls:

• Immediately clean up any spilled liquids.
• Mark wet floors or hazard zones.
• Regularly sweep or vacuum debris.
• Keep walkways clear of boxes, cords or clutter.
• Secure loose rugs or mats with tape or tacks.
• Cover electrical cables that cross pathways.
• Keep drawers and cabinet doors closed.
• Replace burned-out light bulbs promptly.

Flooring materials and their condition also play a significant role in traction and stability:

• Install non-slip mats or treads in slick areas.
• Use abrasive paint-on coatings or pressure-sensitive strips.
• Recoat or replace worn flooring.
• Ensure consistent traction across walking surfaces.
• Maintain all flooring surfaces equally to prevent uneven spots.

And choosing the right footwear can also keep you safe, especially if you work in a place with wet or uneven surfaces. Choose shoes with appropriate soles for the environment, and make sure that they fit properly and are in good repair.

Learn More

• Tips to Stay Safe at Work
• Housekeeping for Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention
• Preventing Slips and Falls in Snow
• Adapt Your Footwear to the Conditions to Steer Clear of Falls
• Eight Steps for Fall Prevention
• Fall Protection

Workplace Policies to Prevent Falls

Once you've covered the basics, you can move on to implement ongoing practices to help employees avoid workplace falls, like training workers in proper safety procedures and how to use equipment safely.

• Ensure that all elevated walkways have guardrails or physical barriers.
• Use scaffolding whenever guardrails are not viable.
• Always require the use of fall-arrest equipment (full-body harness, self-retracting lanyard, etc.) when no other systems are available.
• Provide OSHA training classes on the proper use of ladders (keeping three-point contact, avoiding leaning, securing the ladder, etc.).
• Inspect fall-protection equipment before use and at regular intervals.

Learn More

• Understanding and Using Personal Fall Arresting Systems
• OSHA Fall Prevention Training for Employees
• Aerial and Scissor Lift Safety Training

Additional Fall Prevention and Safety Resources

• Fall Risk Assessment: Learn about how to evaluate an older adult's risk of falling.
• Hazard Awareness to Prevent Falls: This guide provides advice about common hazards to look out for and remove to help prevent accidents.
• Fall Prevention for Older Adults: Falling can be particularly devastating for older people who don't heal from injuries as easily.
• Fall Protection Program: This comprehensive plan is a good example of how to implement a program to prevent falls.
• Fall Prevention: Learn some basic rules to follow to help keep people safe in the workplace.
• Preventing Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Older people are more likely to break bones in a fall.
• Slip and Trip Prevention Handout: This single-sheet handout covers the basics of fall prevention.
• Fall Prevention Tips: Learn more about preventing fall injuries with this resource.
• Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention Guide: Explore this interactive handbook to learn everything you might want to know about why people slip and fall, the injuries this can cause and how to prevent them with OSHA 10-hour training classes in workplace safety.