Sunday, November 1, 2020 Keep Your Footing It happens so fast. In a split second, your life can be shattered by a fall that could have been easily prevented Newsletters Alberta Local 63 BC Local 68 Manitoba Local 152 Manitoba Local 306 Ontario Construction Ontario Healthcare Saskatchewan Local 151 Winter is here, and with it comes additional slipping, tripping, and falling hazards. Here are some things to watch out for to help protect you and your coworkers from taking a nasty spill. 10 Tips for Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls Weather – Keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared. Cold nights can create icy conditions early in the morning. Mats – Worn out mats present a hazard as they can quickly become saturated from melting snow, making a slip on linoleum or tile floors much more likely. Footwear – One of your best defences against slipping is ensuring you have slip-resistant footwear that grips different floor types even if wet. Housekeeping – Many injuries can be avoided simply by following good housekeeping practices—put away equipment when you’re finished using it, remove cords strung across pathways, tidy up garbage, reposition equipment intruding into where people walk. Spills – Clean up spills immediately following proper procedures. If the spill cannot be cleaned up right away, make sure it is contained or blocked off with pylons. Stairs – Maintain three-point contact as often as possible, take stairs one at a time, never run, and pay attention to the condition of the stairs—including dust, dirt, or other substances on steps. Loads – Carrying uneven loads that may shift or loads piled too high blocking vision can easily cause a fall. It’s safer to make two trips than carry too much at a time. Lighting – Stairwells and parking lots are two areas that are often overlooked when it comes to ensuring adequate lighting. Bulbs are often missing or burnt out. Alert management if poor lighting is creating risks. Distractions – Nearby conversations, brooding over an argument, fatigue, your smartphone—these are all sources of distraction that can cause you to lose focus even for just a second and lead to a fall. Culture – Do your part to contribute to a safety-first culture at your workplace. Never hesitate to bring potentially unsafe conditions to the attention of your supervisor, steward, and healthy and safety rep. Many of the situations that can lead to a slip, trip, or fall are easily prevented. But it requires everyone in the workplace to be alert and speak up. Source: thesafetymag.com You might be interested in Why We Work Safely 5 Jun 2026 Standing Your Ground, and Staying Steady on the Job 4 Jun 2026 CLAC Partners with Alberta Government to Advance Skilled Trades Training and Accelerate Certification 4 Jun 2026 Strathcona Mechanical Workers Ratify New Agreement Providing Wage, Scheduling Improvements 3 Jun 2026