October 16, 2009
Slips, trips, and falls: Physical Facilities addressing injury prevention
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Slips, trips, and falls are the second-leading cause of workplace injuries at Purdue. However, the University's Radiological and Environmental Management area, with other units of Physical Facilities, is acting on several fronts to prevent such injuries.
Their actions include stronger measures to learn about and correct hazards, a campaign to distribute "Slip, Trip, Fall: Call!" magnets and REM's hosting Oct. 20-22 of sessions from a virtual symposium.
Slip-trip-fall injuries account for 20 percent of all workers' compensation claims and $5 million in claims during the past 10 years, according to REM. In May, to initiate proactive measures addressing those statistics, REM partnered with Staff Benefits and developed the Purdue University Preventive Injury Program. One of its key initiatives was the creation of a Slip-Trip-Fall Injury Reduction work group with representatives from Buildings and Grounds, Physical Facilities Engineering, Housing and Food Services, Risk Management and REM.
One of the work group's current projects is the campus distribution of "Slip, Trip, Fall: Call!" magnets. On the magnet is a phone number for reporting hazards, 49-43087, which reaches the Grounds Department.
Everyone on campus is asked to report unsafe surface conditions, either inside or outside campus facilities, says Gary Evans, director of grounds. "We're promoting individual stewardship and personal initiative -- each of us can make a difference by making our campus safer."
A quick-response team has been formed to respond within 48 hours to assess and/or make needed repairs to potential slip-trip-fall hazards. Such hazards may include uneven or cracked sidewalks or pavers, wet interior floors, or inadequate lighting.
Also, Grounds is looking for areas on campus where short-term and long-term fixes may be needed, including buckling sidewalks due to tree root growth.
In addition to unsafe surface conditions, many other factors contribute to slips, trips, and falls. The Slip-Trip-Fall Injury Reduction work group will be working to educate the campus community and to promote safe behavior and best practices.
Online symposium
The virtual symposium, titled "Slips, Trips, and Falls: Best Practices and Standards," is being offered by the American Society of Safety Engineers. At Purdue, REM will host six of the sessions in Room 1179, Physical Facilities Service Building (PFSB), free to those at the University. Those sessions are:
* Oct. 20 (Tu), noon -- 1 p.m.: Surefooted Safety: Training Strategies for Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls.
* Oct. 20 (Tu), 2-3 p.m.: When Slips, Trips, and Falls Aren’t Accidental.
* Oct. 21 (W), 10-11 a.m.: Slips, Trips, Falls in the Services Industry.
* Oct. 21 (W), noon-1 p.m.: Floor Cleaning and Maintenance: The Key to Slips and Falls Prevention.
* Oct. 21 (W), 2-3 p.m.: Management Controls: Operating and Maintaining Facilities to Minimize Slips, Trips, and Falls.
* Oct. 22 (Th), 10-11 a.m.: OSHA’s View of Slips, Trips, and Falls.
Session descriptions are at www.purdue.edu/rem/injury/STF.htm. For more information, contact Phyllis Hill at 49-46371.
Registration for the entire 15-session symposium is available at www.asse.org/education/stfsymposium/ for $225-$255. Registrants have access to all sessions at all times for 30 days. Descriptions of all sessions and the full schedule are at the same Web site.