Overview
In 2019, 880 workers died from fatal falls in the workplace and 244,000 suffered from injuries that required days off of work.
With numbers this alarming, it’s no surprise that slips, trips, and falls can cost employers millions of dollars in insurance claims, threaten employee safety, and reduce productivity at work. Below we explore the alarming statistics and offer insights into how organizations can significantly reduce slips, trips, and falls.
How Common are Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace?
Across all industries, slips and falls are the second most common form of injuries, causing workers to miss an average of 38 workdays per year. They also account for 36% of emergency room visits and 65% of lost workdays.
All of these accidents are discouraging to the workplace but can be prevented by first understanding what causes these incidents to occur.
How Do Slips, Trips, and Falls Happen?
Around 67% of falls happen on the walking level as a result of slips and trips. Slips could occur due to wet and oily surfaces, weather hazards, loose rugs, traction differences, and much more.
Trips often occur due to feet colliding with an object causing a person to lose balance and eventually falling. These can happen with obstructed vision, poor lighting, clutter, uneven surfaces, and more.
The remaining 30% of falls at work occur due to falling from an elevation such as ladders, stairs, and roofs.
Safety measures are of course in place, but accidents happen every day. Slips and trips should be prevented with the best of a company’s ability to protect their workers, prevent costly claims from insurance, and keep productivity on target for a company’s goals.
How Much Do Slip and Fall Injuries Cost Businesses?
According to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, the total cost to businesses for workplace injuries and illnesses was almost $60 billion a year.
Slips, trips, and falls accounted for over $11 billion of this total, around 20%. Besides the cost of the injury, employers also have to account for the days missed by the employee as a result of treating the injury, costing millions in lost productivity and higher insurance costs. The average cost of a slip and fall injury is around $20,000, and the average cost to defend these claims is $50,000.
Keeping clients safe at your business is also a top priority. A customer injury at your site can not only result in expensive litigation but harm the reputation of your business, leaving long-term impacts on your bottom line. Businesses must do all they can in their power to provide the appropriate safety practices, training, equipment, and protocol in place to stop injuries from happening or effectively addressing said issue once it happens.
How AI Can Help Manage Slip and Fall Risk
While the above numbers are alarming, many solutions can be implemented to prevent these events from happening. Actuate AI is a smart camera technology that can be installed on any existing security camera hardware. The AI technology can detect a fallen person and alert security personnel in real-time so they can identify safety hazards as well as render assistance immediately if necessary.
In the event of an accident, the solution also provides necessary video evidence to mitigate legal liability in the case of frivolous lawsuits, helping organizations avoid expensive investigation fees.
With the power of Actuate’s video AI surveillance, businesses can be confident that they are protecting their workers and their bottom lines. If you would like to see how Actuate can accurately monitor your workplace in real-time, book a demo with us today.