WorkSafeBC adds focus on slips, trips, and falls to its Manufacturing High Risk Strategy

WorkSafeBC has plans to focus on preventing slips, trips, and falls, a widespread cause of injuries with its 2019 high-risk strategy for manufacturing.

Slips, trips, and falls are often not perceived as significant hazards, but they can easily lead to severe injuries. However, about a fifth of the injuries in this category in manufacturing are defined as serious.

“Contributing factors to injuries are often seasonal—such as slippery surfaces after rain or snow—or are indirectly related to the manufacturing process,” said Dan Strand, Director of Prevention Field Services with WorkSafeBC. “We’re tackling complacency around these avoidable incidents by educating employers and workers through inspections, and providing effective resources.”

WorkSafeBC will reinforce this with the development of an employer resource and two marketing campaigns, one that addresses slips, trips, and falls generally and another that highlights winter-related risks.