The Gravity Of Slips & Falls
by Chad Veach, CSP
The Mechanics of Slips and Falls
According to the National Safety Council, the average cost for a slip and fall accident is $5,000. Surface conditions, inappropriate footwear and behaviors can all be to blame. EMC Risk Improvement Engineer Chad Veach offers some slip and fall prevention techniques below.
Slips are primarily caused by a smooth surface condition and compounded by wearing the wrong footwear. In normal walking, two types of slips occur. The first of these occurs as the heel of the forward foot contacts the walking surface. Then, the front foot slips forward and the person falls backward. The second type of fall occurs when the rear foot slips backward. The force to move forward is on the sole of the rear foot. As the rear heel is lifted and the force moves forward to the front of the sole, the foot slips back and the person falls.
The force that allows you to walk without slipping is friction, commonly referred to as “traction.” Experience shows that dry concrete sidewalks have good traction, while icy surfaces or freshly waxed floors can have low traction. Technically, traction is measured as the “coefficient of friction.” A higher coefficient of friction means more friction, and therefore more traction. The coefficient of friction depends on two things: the quality of both the walking surface and the soles of your shoes.
Watch For These Behaviors
In addition to wearing the wrong footwear, there are specific behaviors that can lead to
slips, trips and falls. Walking too fast or running can cause major problems. In normal
walking, the most force is exerted when the heel strikes the ground, but when you walk
fast or run, you land harder on the heel of your front foot and push harder off the sole
of your rear foot. Thus, a greater coefficient of friction is required to prevent slips
and falls. Rapid changes in direction create a similar problem.
Other factors that can cause you to slip, trip and fall are: distractions; not watching where one is going; carrying materials which obstruct your view; wearing sunglasses in low-light areas; and failure to use handrails. These and other behaviors, caused by lack of knowledge, impatience or bad habits, can lead to falls, injuries or even death.
Prevention Techniques
There are several ways to prevent slips, trips and falls. First, increasing the friction
between the walking surface and footwear will make a slip less likely to occur.
Identifying a slippery surface and taking immediate action is the first line of defense.
- Water or liquids on a floor should be cleaned up and/or dried immediately.
- When using a floor cleaner, follow directions precisely.
- Icy surfaces should be cleared and treated.
- Slip-resistant footwear should always be worn, kept clean and in good repair.
- Increase your awareness of the floor conditions and your surroundings.
- Immediately report any hazardous walking surface conditions to your supervisor.
- If you know a surface is (or may be) slippery, move slower and take short steps.
