Slips, Trips & Falls
Trips and slips leading to falls are the second-most common cause of workplace injuries. To address these risks, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) maintains general industry regulations on walking and working surfaces. These regulations aim to prevent accidents caused by hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, clutter, corrosion, or wet surfaces (e.g., leaks, spills, snow, and ice). Such incidents are largely preventable through effective housekeeping practices, including maintaining clear walkways free of clutter, wearing proper footwear, routine cleaning, adopting safe work practices, and promptly identifying and marking slip or trip hazards.
The following are safe work practices to help foster a safe work environment and reduce the risk of workplace injuries related to slips, trips, and falls in your work area:
TCU Community Responsibilities
- Maintain Orderly and Clean Work Areas: Keep walkways, aisles, hallways, and work areas free of unnecessary items or clutter. Properly store equipment, tools, and materials in designated areas. Address spills of liquids or other slippery substances as quickly as possible. Report any potential hazard concerns to Facilities Operations so necessary actions may be taken, including: changes to signage, spill containment/cleaning, floor repair, etc.
TCU Facilities Operations & Employee Responsibilities
- Identify and Address Hazards: Use warning signs or cones to mark hazardous or wet areas. Clearly mark stairs, ramps, or changes in elevation with signage or contrasting colors. Use slip resistant floor coverings for areas prone to moisture.
- Maintenance of Flooring and Outdoor Surfaces: Repair damaged flooring, including torn carpets and loose tiles. Remove tripping hazards, such as floor mats that do not lay flat. Ensure parking lots and walkways are free of ice, snow and water during inclement weather.
- Provide Adequate Lighting: Ensure workspaces, stairwells, and walkways are well-lit. Use additional lighting in areas with limited visibility and replace burned-out bulbs promptly.
- Use of Proper Equipment: Provide and maintain sturdy ladders for elevated tasks. Use proper footwear and use slip-resistant accessories.
Contact Facilities Operations regarding cleanup or repair of a hazard and additional assistance or questions specific to your work area.
To assist in identification of potential hazards, or to report a safety concern, please contact the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) office at safety@tcu.edu.
Resources & Forms
OSHA Standard 1910.22 - General Industry Walking-Working Surfaces
OSHA Fact Sheet
OSHA FAQs - Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment
Training
Assignment of online safety courses is overseen by EHS and accessible through the
online HSI/SafetySkills Learning Management System. A TCU email address and ID is
required for access. For additional information on training, please contact EHS at
safety@tcu.edu or 817-257-7220.
OSHA - Slips, Trips, and Falls Overview - HSI-3363
This online course educates on identifying hazardous workplace conditions and unsafe
practices that can lead to slips, trips, and falls and how to prevent incidents through
good housekeeping practices, safe behavior, and identification of corrective actions
required to eliminate hazardous walking and working surface conditions. In addition,
this course addresses how to fall properly to avoid serious injury, and how to respond
to a fall injury should one occur.