Written by Mark Steinhofer
Director, SMG U | CSP, CHST, CUSP, PhD
Most people don’t fall because they’re careless. They fall because they’re comfortable. Slips, trips, and falls happen during the routine—on the walk to the breakroom, across the shop floor, or stepping out of the truck for the thousandth time.
That’s the danger: when something becomes familiar, we stop seeing it. That’s why effective prevention doesn’t start with equipment: it starts with breaking the pattern.
What Are Slips, Trips, and Falls?
Slips, trips, and falls are the most common causes of workplace injuries and the most underestimated.
- A slip occurs when there’s too little traction between your foot and the surface.
- A trip happens when your foot strikes something, causing a loss of balance.
- A fall can result from either, and leads to serious consequences, especially when height is involved.
Example:
You’ve walked that hallway a hundred times. Today, there’s a wrinkle in the mat. You don’t see it because your brain stopped checking. That’s how it happens.
Slips, Trips, and Falls in Statistics
These aren’t freak events—they’re predictable and preventable. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
- Fatal Injuries: Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 850+ worker deaths in 2022, making them one of the top causes of fatal injuries across all industries.
- Non-Fatal Injuries: More than 190,000 injuries from slips, trips, and falls resulted in missed workdays, many requiring medical leave, light-duty reassignment, or long-term accommodation.
These numbers don’t reflect carelessness. They reflect patterns that weren’t interrupted in time.
Common Slips, Trips, and Falls Causes
The conditions are usually obvious, after the fact. That’s why the real risk is familiarity. You’ve seen the hazard so often, it blends into the background.
Slips
- Wet spills that aren’t marked or cleaned quickly
- Climbing ladders without checking the tread or grip
- Greasy floors near equipment or break areas
- Transitions from carpet to tile
- Condensation or HVAC leaks creating slick zones
- Wearing worn-out or inappropriate footwear
Trips
- Poor or changing lighting conditions
- Loose cords or cables stretched across walkways
- Boxes or tools left in the paths
- Uneven flooring or transitions between surfaces
- Raised mats, cracked concrete, or lifted tiles
- Improper material storage blocks access routes
Falls
- Damaged or unstable ladders
- Unprotected elevated edges (mezzanines, loading docks)
- Makeshift work platforms like buckets or boxes
- Slippery exterior walkways after rain or snow
- Misjudged step heights or inconsistent stairs
- Inadequate or missing fall protection systems
Each of these becomes invisible over time, until someone ends up on the ground.
Slips, Trips, and Falls Hazards in the Workplace
Even so-called “minor” falls can have serious long-term impacts. Here’s what’s at stake:
- Broken bones: Often from trying to break the fall, especially wrists and hips.
- Sprains and strains: Common in ankles, knees, and shoulders from sudden twisting.
- Bruises and contusions: Impact with hard surfaces leads to deep tissue damage.
- Cuts and open wounds: Contact with edges, tools, or debris during the fall.
- Head injuries: Even from short-height falls, particularly on hard surfaces.
- Neck injuries: Often from whiplash or awkward angles during descent.
- Back injuries: From both the fall and the instinctive reaction to catch yourself.
But physical injury is only part of the picture. Falls also create psychological strain—workers lose confidence, and that hesitation can increase risk even more.
How to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace
Good prevention disrupts routine. It interrupts the conditions, behaviors, and assumptions that let hazards blend in. If people don’t notice the problem, they can’t avoid it.
Here are seven ways to break the pattern:
- Practice keeping it tidy. Clutter creates tripping hazards and dulls situational awareness. A clean space keeps people alert.
- Make visibility bright with lights. Poor lighting triggers missed steps and misjudged distances. Bright, consistent light keeps attention sharp.
- Install safety signs. Visual cues like wet floor signs are intentional pattern interrupters. Use them early and often.
- Clean up spills ASAP. If a spill becomes “normal,” the risk becomes invisible. Fast cleanup keeps the risk from settling in.
- Use correct footwear. Non-slip shoes with appropriate tread are frontline defenses against both slips and trips, especially in unpredictable conditions.
- Maintain floor quality. Small flooring issues often go unreported—until someone trips. Regular inspection and repair are essential.
- Implement safety plans. When safety protocols are part of daily workflow, people are trained to pause, scan, and adjust. That’s what changes culture.
Keep Your Workplace Safe with Safety Management Group
Slips, trips, and falls may be common, but they’re not inevitable. At SMG, we help Clients interrupt routine risk before it turns into recordables.
Our safety professionals perform Ergonomic and Safety Walkthroughs that identify hidden trip hazards, blind spots, and behavioral patterns that expose teams to injury. From safety audits and floor plan reviews to culture coaching and field-level assessments, we help organizations build environments that keep risk visible and manageable.
Need help with slips, trips, and falls prevention?
Contact Safety Management Group for a tailored workplace safety assessment.
