Slips, Trips, And Falls At Work: CDC Provides Guidance To Young Retail Workers On Workplace Injury Prevention
The retail industry is one of the top hazardous industries for employees in terms of workplace injuries. Stockrooms filled with items, slippery store floors, and crowded showrooms can all present slip, trip, and fall hazards for workers. These three common workplace injuries in the retail industry injure hundreds, if not thousands, of workers each year throughout the United States. The large number of incidents of slip, trip, and fall accidents by workers in the retail industry may have been what prompted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to produce an online tips page directed to young retail industry workers to avoid workplace accidents.
“Slips”, “Trips”, and “Falls” as Workplace Accidents
According to the CDC page, in the context of workplace injuries, a “slip” occurs when a worker loses his or her footing; a “trip” is when a worker catches his or her foot in something; and a “fall” is when a worker “come[s] down suddenly.” Although these three workplace injuries are somewhat different in action, they can be caused by the same hazards in the typical retail workplace. For example, drink or other liquid spills, residual ice, snow and rain left on floors by customers, loose floormats and decorative carpets, and even stepladders used for hanging or stocking inventory are all common causes of slips, trips, and falls that contribute to retail workplace injuries. Even poor lighting and cluttered showroom floors can cause workplace injuries in the retail industry. Bruises, lacerations, strains, and sprains can be caused by slipping, tripping, or falling over merchandise or other obstructions in dark “mood” lighting in retail stores.
Tips for Preventing Workplace Accidents in the Retail Industry
The CDC page provides helpful guidance to young workers in the retail space for avoiding workplace injuries. First, retail employees should always tell a manager or supervisor if they see a workplace hazard that might cause a slip, trip, or fall. Second, quick attention to cleaning up anything that could cause a slip, trip, or fall is a necessity, as well as making sure to use the proper cleaning products that won’t cause a surface to become slippery. Third, workers should use handrails when using stairs. In addition, proper attention to wrinkled or crumpled mats and carpets and clearing obstructions from the pathway of walking is another tip to reduce workplace injuries. Finally, employees should make sure that they are properly using ladders and stepladders to avoid falling. The CDC notes that falls from ladders –including stepladders, straight ladders, and combination and extension ladders – are one of the top causes of workplace accidents.
Workers’ Compensation for Slip, Trip, and Fall Workplace Accidents
Even the most careful and rule-abiding worker may be injured in the workplace due to elements outside of their control. A slip, trip, or fall can really happen to anyone, especially in the busy hustle and bustle of a retail workplace. When a worker is injured on the job, regardless of the manner of injury or the industry, they should immediately reach out to an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer to learn their rights and entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits. The experienced Louisiana & Mississippi workers’ compensation attorneys at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe are here to help injured workers get workers’ compensation benefits and offer a free case evaluation. Contact the lawyers at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe today to get started on your workers’ compensation case.
Source:
cdc.gov/niosh/topics/retail/slips.html
