The shortest month of the calendar is often the wettest one, and February marks a good time to shore up slip and fall hazards that are particularly acute when it's cold in the homestretch of winter. The first step in abating common causes of slips and falls is to perform a safety audit. Identifying these hazards now can pay safety dividends year round, and Duralabel shows you how in its complimentary Facility Audit Guide.
Signage and Spill Containment Go Hand in Hand for Safety
Contaminants spilled on the floor, including water, oil, and grease, are major causes of slips, trips, and falls. While containment is key to avoiding them, so is signage alerting staff and pedestrians of the dangers. Duralabel has a large selection of preprinted slips, trips, and falls signage geared toward the service industry that works to keep everyone safe. Spill signs help remind staff to clean spills immediately. Having a good spill containment program is required by OSHA, and in the case of hazardous materials, is critical that the spills are reported.
Cold Weather Considerations for Slips and Trips
Removing snow and ice from roofs and sidewalks is a good policy in every business setting, and is mandatory in many states. Your building may have overhangs that are dry one day, and the next day are covered in snow and icicles. Workers standing on the ground removing snow from the roof, or bystanders can become trapped under snow falling from roofs and could suffocate. It may be a good policy to warn of the dangers with a falling ice sign.
According to OSHA in Boise, Idaho, a city known as a winter wonderland, many occupational injuries occur in relation to ice and snow. David Kearns, OSHA's Boise area director, said in a recent press release: "As people work to remove snow from roofs and other elevated surfaces, proper fall protection is essential. With these safeguards, falls are wholly preventable. Despite these warnings, falls remain the leading cause of serious injuries and deaths during snow removal."
As well as fall protection, OSHA encourages workers removing snow to check ladder rungs for ice, as a slippery step can cause a fatal fall. On a similar note, Duralabel offers a number of ladder and scaffolding safety signs on its site, and a host of resources on ladder and scaffolding safety.
Stairs and Wet Floors are a Formula for Disaster
For steps that tend to get slippery, such as near entrances, caution steps provide added assurance for climbing and descent safety.
If your stairs are on an exit path or egress, PathFinder Tread Glow Tape is great for both handrails and steps. This tape glows for hours even after the lights go out, enhancing tread and safety through lighting the way, even in the case of an emergency.
Adding tread is a no-brainer at most businesses where wetness can enter buildings and make slips a reality. When aggressive tread is needed to guard against falls, Duralabel' extra course tread has aggressive adhesive, suited for the highest traffic areas in a building. This tread helps prevent slips by adhering to the highest safety standards. Perfect for industrial areas such as walkways, stairwells, work areas, machine shops, industrial equipment, trucks, and trailers. It's also suitable for marine applications such as ramps, docks, and boat deck areas.
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