falls – Risk Management 365

Fall Proofing Your Home

Six out of every 10 falls happen at home, where we spend much of our time and tend to move around without thinking about our safety. Many falls could be prevented by making simple changes in your living areas, as well as personal and lifestyle changes.

Take steps to “fall proof” your home, both inside and outdoors. To make your home safer, you can

remove or avoid safety hazards
improve lighting
install handrails and grab bars
move items to make them easier to reach

via NIHSeniorHealth: Falls and Older Adults – Fall Proofing Your Home.

Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace

Falls are a persistent hazard found in all occupational settings. A fall can occur during the simple acts of walking or climbing a ladder to change a light fixture or as a result of a complex series of events affecting an ironworker 80 feet above the ground. According to the 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 605 workers were killed and an estimated 212,760 workers were seriously injured by falls to the same or lower level.

via CDC – Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

Nonfatal Injury and Illness in Construction

There were 3.3 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses reported across all industries in 2009, of which almost 95 per cent were injuries and just over 5 per cent were illnesses. More than 9 per cent of the nonfatal illnesses and injuries requiring days away from work were experienced by construction workers (92,540). Construction workers reported 4.3 nonfatal injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers.

Falls accounted for more than one in every five of these injuries and illnesses (22%). Construction laborers experienced the seventh-highest rate of nonfatal injury and illness requiring days away from work of all occupations (382 per 10,000 full-time workers). Hispanic/Latino workers experienced nonfatal injuries and illnesses disproportionately, with almost one-fifth of cases (19%).

via CDC – Construction Safety and Health – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

What can you do to avoid falling at work?

You can reduce the risk of slipping on wet flooring by:

taking your time and paying attention to where you are going
adjusting your stride to a pace that is suitable for the walking surface and the tasks you are doing
walking with the feet pointed slightly outward
making wide turns at corners

You can reduce the risk of tripping by:

keeping walking areas clear from clutter or obstructions
keeping flooring in good conditon
always using installed light sources that provide sufficient light for your tasks
using a flashlight if you enter a dark room where there is no light
ensuring that things you are carrying or pushing do not prevent you from seeing any obstructions, spills, etc.

via Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls : OSH Answers.

Portable Ladder Safety

Falls from portable ladders (step, straight, combination and extension) are one of the leading causes of occupational fatalities and injuries.

Read and follow all labels/markings on the ladder.
Avoid electrical hazards! – Look for overhead power lines before handling a ladder. Avoid using a metal ladder near power lines or exposed energized electrical equipment.
Always inspect the ladder prior to using it. If the ladder is damaged, it must be removed from service and tagged until repaired or discarded.
Always maintain a 3-point (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) contact on the ladder when climbing. Keep your body near the middle of the step and always face the ladder while climbing (see diagram).
Only use ladders and appropriate accessories (ladder levelers, jacks or hooks) for their designed purposes.
Ladders must be free of any slippery material on the rungs, steps or feet.
Do not use a self-supporting ladder (e.g., step ladder) as a single ladder or in a partially closed position.
Do not use the top step/rung of a ladder as a step/rung unless it was designed for that purpose.
Use a ladder only on a stable and level surface, unless it has been secured (top or bottom) to prevent displacement.
Do not place a ladder on boxes, barrels or other unstable bases to obtain additional height.
Do not move or shift a ladder while a person or equipment is on the ladder.
An extension or straight ladder used to access an elevated surface must extend at least 3 feet above the point of support (see diagram). Do not stand on the three top rungs of a straight, single or extension ladder.
The proper angle for setting up a ladder is to place its base a quarter of the working length of the ladder from the wall or other vertical surface (see diagram).
A ladder placed in any location where it can be displaced by other work activities must be secured to prevent displacement or a barricade must be erected to keep traffic away from the ladder.
Be sure that all locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged.
Do not exceed the maximum load rating of a ladder. Be aware of the ladder’s load rating and of the weight it is supporting, including the weight of any tools or equipment.

via Portable Ladder Safety.

Construction’s “Fatal Four”

Out of 4,114* worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2011, 721 or 17.5% were in construction. The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, followed by electrocution, struck by object, and caught-in/between. These “Fatal Four” were responsible for nearly three out of five (57%) construction worker deaths in 2011*, BLS reports. Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 410 workers’ lives in America every year.

Falls – 251 out of 721 total deaths in construction in CY 2011 (35%)

Electrocutions – 67 (9%)

Struck by Object – 73 (10%)

Caught-in/between – 19 (3%)

via OSHA Commonly Used Statistics.

Preventing the Top 5 Most Fatal Home Accidents

We like to think of our “home sweet home” as our haven of safety and security. However, home accidents are responsible for more fatal injuries than any other cause except motor vehicle accidents. Although home accidents are often caused by human error and typically can be prevented, they amount to 18,000 deaths and nearly 13 million injuries a year.

The 5 leading causes of death from home accidents are:

Falls
Poisonings
Fires
Suffocation and choking
Drowning

While children and older adults are most vulnerable to home injuries, everyone can benefit from knowing how to stay safer at home. To learn more click on the link below.

via Preventing the Top 5 Most Fatal Home Accidents.

Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction

A national campaign to prevent construction-worker falls was launched recently. The campaign encourages everyone in the construction industry to work safely and use the right equipment to reduce falls. Special emphasis and activity will focus on residential construction contractors and workers.

FACT – FALLS KILL!

Falls are the number one cause of construction-worker fatalities, accounting for one-third of on-the-job injury deaths in the industry.

To turn this problem around, we need to promote the use of fall prevention practices by contractors and construction workers.

via CDC – Directory of NIOSH Construction Resources – Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction.

Prevent Fall Injuries in the Workplace

via CDC – Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.