Slips, trips, and falls cost American businesses over $11 billion per year according to Bic Magazine. OSHA reported in its 2015 report on Walking/Working Surfaces that “slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. They cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities.” Ref: Safety and Health Topics | Walking/Working Surfaces. (2015).
These metrics are important to us in the snow removal business. During the snow season, slip-and-fall accidents can happen outside due to black ice, a thin coating of transparent ice nearly invisible to the eye, on sidewalks and parking lots, and even inside when snow and slush are brought in from outside.
At ADR Snow Management, we are proactive at taking care of our customers’ properties during the snow seasons to avoid slip and fall accidents. However, we believe a broader approach to slip-and-fall accidents that involves business owners, the snow management company, employees, and even clients, should be considered. They are:
- Education, education, education: Educate your employees on how to prevent slip and fall, for example: Walk slowly and consciously when snow or ice is present, wear appropriate shoes, etc
- Planning: Work with your snow management company to create a snow management plan of action.
- Review slip and fall accidents in the past few years to determine where most accidents happened and focus on those areas
- Plan where snow will be stored so you won’t be producing black ice as the snow melts and re-freezes, which is a liability
- Inspect your property regularly, anticipate slippery surfaces and report to your snow management company of an issue
- Signage: Place warning cones in your parking lots and sidewalks where black ice is likely to form, such as in shady places, under trees, etc. And also, place wet floor signs at the entrance of your building to remind employees and clients of the imminent danger of slip and fall.
If you have any questions, always feel free to give us a call at 914.371.5245.
We care about your safety!