We are coming into the season for higher reported slips, trips, and falls. We all have gotten out of a car and almost bailed it because of an icy condition during the winter months in Alberta; if someone were to deny this ever happening, please tell me your secret for 100% prevention. 

The hazard of slips, trips, or falls is applicable to almost any person and we should all be mindful of this, whether we are on our way to work, perform our day to day tasks, leaving the jobsite, or even doing personal tasks. 

 It was identified that the common causes of slips, trips, and falls are: 

• Housekeeping issues 
• Condition of floors and stairways 
• Environmental conditions 
• Employee behaviour 
• Inadequate footwear 
• Inattention 

 As we look to reduce the possibility of the hazard, we should look at what we can to do prevent the hazard of slips, trips, or falls. We can look at the following as prevention methods: 

• Clean up spills immediately, keep floors clean and free of clutter 
• Keep walkways, aisles and stairs clear, install/maintain handrails 
• Maintain floors, use slip resistant flooring 
• Clear snow, ice and mud from outdoor pathways 
• Put down salt or sand where there are identified slippery areas 
• Block off areas that are slippery 
• Change drain pipe location to a more suitable location 
• Make sure lighting is adequate 
• Wear appropriate slip resistant footwear 
• Be aware of surroundings 

 At the end of the day we should continue to proactive mitigate the potential for slips, trips, and falls by implementing and doing some of the above preventative measures. We can be reactive after a reporting of an instance of slip, trip, or fall to ensure there are the proper steps taken to prevent this from recurring. Every business wants their employees, visitors, and the public to go home healthy and safe and we want to continue to have a thriving business with no claims. 

This year, travel and vacationing is little different then normal. Although we are seeing some light at the end of the COVID tunnel, there are still some restrictions and health and safety measures to be taken.

This years’ travel options have diminished, leaving us wondering what our holidays will look like. People are trying to get creative and stay positive on making plans. These plans are mostly staying within Alberta since travel abroad and even province to province within Canada is still being encouraged as an only on as needed basis.

Even within our resident provinces, we have to take the proper steps to keep ourselves healthy and safe. Taking the time to relax and destress from everything that is going on in the world is important aspect of this years’ summer plans. In saying this, we should not completely forget the key aspects of keeping healthy and safe this summer. This includes frequent hand washing, appropriate social distancing where possible, wearing PPE when social distancing is not possible, sanitizing high touch areas often, and keeping social gatherings as small as possible using the provincial suggested criteria.

Taking precautions does not mean stopping your life, staying inside unless you need to do a food run. It means we just have to be more conscious of our decisions and expectations. Each summer, it is not unusual to have plans for large BBQs, river floats, and other social gatherings. These plans can be carried out safely, as long as you remain in your social bubble, and maintain proper distancing while you’re outside. Furthermore, carrying out your plans, in a COVID-modified manner is incredibly beneficial for your mental health.

Our vacation plans for 2020 should be made keeping personal comfort levels in mind, what we think is best for our mental health, and of course with the guidelines set out by the government.