Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
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Health and Safety: Teaching Tools
A C T I V I T I E S
? ACTIVITY 1 ?

Slips, Trips and Falls
Classroom Discussion

Learners should be able to discuss when and why falls occur. A possible way to lead the discussion would be to have the learners identify situations where falls may occur: Suggested responses include:

  • working on an elevated platform such as in theatre rigging,
  • using ladders to change light bulbs,
  • placing posters on the walls,
  • painting homes, and
  • unloading packages from the back of a panel truck.

Ask learners to identify some situations that could cause falls, such as:

  • slipping on ice or oil,
  • forgetting to hold on to a support when we are on a ladder, tree or a scaffold,
  • trying to reach too far away from the ladder or scaffold, and
  • poor visibility.

Have learners identify ways to help prevent falls from heights such as:

  • using fall protection,
  • asking for "hands-on" training about safe procedures for working at heights, and
  • using adequate equipment to reach heights.

Have learners identify methods that can help prevent slips and trips such as:

  • cleaning up spills,
  • putting salt or sand on ice,
  • wearing shoes with good traction,
  • wearing proper footwear for the kind of work you are doing,
  • cleaning up after a lab exercise, a project in the tech lab or at work,
  • returning all the tools and equipment to their proper storage area, and
  • keeping floors and aisleways clear.
Cleaning is key to slip and trip prevention!