Many Virginia workers may think that only elderly employees fall down while performing their job. People of any age may fall if they are around unsafe conditions, though. Because of this, it is important for workers to know how falls occur and what they can do to prevent them.
Many situations might cause an employee to fall in his or her workplace. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that workers can fall if they climb a ladder which is not properly positioned. Clutter on office floors can also cause falls, as well as spills which are not cleaned up. Additionally, people may fall if they are working in high places without guard rails. Some employees may think they are only in danger of falling if they work in environments like construction sites. However, falls can occur in any work environment.
Most of the time, workers can take steps to prevent falls. According to the National Safety Council, one way to prevent falls is to use ladders correctly. It is important for people to make sure they always keep a ladder on a steady surface. As they climb ladders, employees should generally stay below the third-highest rung and ensure all upper supports are firmly secured. Another way people can prevent falls is to talk to their colleagues to make sure everyone sees potential hazards in the workplace.
It is important to take these precautions seriously because falls can sometimes be deadly. One study about falls in the workplace found that 29 people working in retail died after a fall in 2016, while these incidents caused the deaths of 111 people in the professional and business sector. Additionally, falls can cause severe injuries. In 2016, 48,060 needed to take several days off from work after falling. With the proper precautions, employees can make sure their workplace is not the scene of one of these incidents.
