5 Steps To Create A Great Fall Risk Assessment For Your Job

Navigating the complexities of workplace safety starts with a firm grasp on the basics: identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks. One critical aspect of this is conducting a thorough fall risk assessment. 

Falls can occur in any workplace, from construction sites to office buildings, and the consequences can be severe. By following a structured approach, you can significantly reduce the chances of accidents and injuries. 

In this article, we’ll guide you through five essential steps to creating a great fall risk assessment. Our goal is to help keep your team safe and your operations running smoothly.

Identify common fall risks in your workplace

To make a safer environment, we need to know the common problems that could lead to falls. These problems include messy walkways and uneven surfaces. 

One of the most critical areas to inspect is any height-related work, whether it’s using ladders, working on scaffolding, or accessing rooftops. These elevated positions pose significant risks, and it's essential to evaluate how work is performed high in the air. 

But falls don't just happen from positions above the ground. Falls can happen at ground level due to slippery or uneven surfaces. Floor damage and messy walkways can also increase the likelihood of falls. The important thing to remember is to acknowledge all of the ways falls can happen in the workplace.

Once you're comfortable understanding how the work gets done, start reviewing what your team uses to do the work. For ladders, check for strong rungs, secure feet, and proper angle placement. Scaffolding should be assembled according to safety guidelines, with all guardrails and planks in place. When it comes to rooftops, ensure that there are adequate safety measures like guardrails and non-slip surfaces, especially in areas prone to rain or snow.

Indoors, uneven flooring, such as loose tiles, damaged carpets, and uneven concrete, can be a tripping hazard. It’s important to identify these areas and mark them with warning signs. You should also secure or repair any surfaces that are problematic. Regularly walking through your workplace can help you identify and address these issues.

Equipment and tools are often overlooked as potential fall hazards, but ensuring their stability and proper use is critical. Regularly inspect all equipment, such as step stools, dollies, and machinery, to ensure they are in good working order. Train employees on how to use equipment safely. For example, step stools should have a wide base and non-slip feet, and dollies should be used on flat, stable surfaces. Machinery with moving parts should be properly guarded to prevent accidental falls.

Lighting within workspaces is equally vital. Poor lighting can make people make mistakes and cause accidents, especially in areas like stairs, walkways, and workstations. A thorough look at the lighting is needed to remove any dark or shadowed areas that could hide possible dangers. 

As needed, extra lighting should be added. It is recommended to replace bulbs every few months to keep the lights clear. Adequate lighting not only mitigates the risk of falls but also improves productivity and the overall work environment.

By systematically addressing these common fall risks, you can create a safer and more efficient work environment. The next step is to figure out how bad the fall risk is for each situation. This will help you decide what to do first and what to use the most.

Evaluate the severity of fall risk for each scenario

Once you find possible hazards, the next step is to measure how bad the risk is. This will help you know which situations are the most dangerous for your workers. 

The height from which a fall could occur and the type of surface below are two key factors to consider. Falling from a higher place, like a ladder or scaffolding, is more likely to cause serious injury than falling from a lower place. 

The type of surface below can also affect the outcome. Hard surfaces, such as concrete or metal, are more dangerous than softer surfaces, such as grass or dirt. By evaluating these factors, you can prioritize the areas that need the most attention and resources.

The frequency with which employees are exposed to these fall hazards is another important consideration. Areas that are accessed often, such as elevated walkways, loading docks, or platforms, should be prioritized. The more often employees work in these areas, the more likely an accident could happen. This is why it is important to have strong safety measures in place. 

It’s also important to evaluate the effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE) in these areas. Ensure that the PPE being used is suitable for the task and in good condition. Regular checks and training can help make sure employees are using their safety gear correctly. This can greatly reduce the risk of falls.

The review of past incidents is a powerful tool in predicting and preventing future risks. Analyze any fall-related accidents that have occurred in the workplace to identify patterns and common causes. This historical data can highlight specific areas or practices that need improvement. 

Involving safety experts in this process can also ensure a fall risk assessment is thorough and accurate. These professionals can offer valuable perspectives and recommend advanced safety measures that might not be immediately apparent to in-house staff. Their knowledge can help you make a better and more accurate fall risk assessment, making your work environment safer.

Once you know where risks are, what can stop them, and how bad each situation is, you're ready to move forward. Now is the time to bring your team together to review your findings and get everyone on the same page.

Involve your team in the assessment process

Involving your colleagues in the assessment process not only fosters a culture of safety but also uses different perspectives to uncover less obvious risks. Each member of your team brings unique insights and experiences, which can significantly improve the accuracy of your fall risk assessment. 

For example, employees who work on the shop floor daily are more likely to notice subtle issues that might be overlooked by someone who doesn’t interact with the environment as often. By encouraging their input, you create a more robust and comprehensive understanding of potential fall risks.

On-site walkthroughs are an excellent way to engage your team and identify hidden dangers. These walks should be done often, with people from different departments. This will make sure they look at the workplace thoroughly. 

During these sessions, employees can point out areas that they find worrying, such as uneven surfaces, slippery floors, or inadequate lighting. This hands-on approach not only helps in spotting risks but also makes employees feel valued and heard, reinforcing their commitment to workplace safety.

Depending on how big your team is, safety committees can be important for keeping a conversation going about fall risks. These committees should include representatives from all levels of the organization to ensure that all voices are heard. Regular meetings can be used to discuss new findings, review incident reports, and brainstorm solutions. 

By keeping the lines of communication open, you can ensure that safety remains a top priority and that new issues are addressed quickly. Safety committees can also be used as a platform for training and education, helping to create a more safety-conscious workforce.

Training sessions are another crucial part of involving your team in the assessment process. We won't go deep here, as we've written other articles on workplace safety training. This article talks more about the biggest problems with workplace safety training. This article addresses ways to make workplace safety training more fun. 

The most important thing to consider is that everyone gets engaged in the safety process. When employees are well-informed, they are more likely to take steps to reduce risks and make the workplace safer.

Up next is avoiding the problems.

Develop a clear action plan for mitigation

Having thoroughly assessed the risks, the next step is to create a comprehensive action plan that highlights specific measures to diminish the occurrence of slip, trip, and fall incidents. This plan should be flexible, changing as your workplace changes. But it must start with a clear list of the tasks needed to fix each risk. 

For example, if inadequate lighting is an issue, the action plan should specify the installation of additional fixtures. Uneven surfaces should prompt a plan to smooth or mark these areas for improved safety.

Clearly defined roles and responsibilities are essential for the successful execution of safety measures. Each task must be given to someone or a team. This makes sure everyone knows what is expected and who is responsible. 

For example, the maintenance team may be responsible for new lighting installations, while the operations manager oversees the marking of uneven surfaces. These clearly defined roles stop tasks from being missed and make sure that the fall risk assessment is used to make real improvements.

Equally significant is the establishment of clear timelines for the completion of these actions. Without them, tasks can linger indefinitely, leaving the workplace open to potential hazards. By setting realistic yet firm deadlines for each task and ensuring their documentation and communication to all relevant personnel, you can maintain a structured approach. 

Regular check-ins and progress reports will help to keep everyone on course and confirm that the action plan is being implemented. This approach not only aids in managing the workload but also sustains momentum, increasing the likelihood of timely safety measures.

Last, regular training is another key part of your fall prevention plan. Training should cover the specific risks you found during your fall risk assessment, as well as general safety practices and how to use safety equipment. 

You can give training in different ways, like:

• In-person classes
• Online courses
• Safety talks at team meetings

Regular training helps make sure all employees know the latest safety rules and have the knowledge and skills to work safely and prevent falls. It also helps create a culture of safety, where employees take an active role in keeping the workplace safe from falls. For ideas on where to find the best workplace safety training, see our article.

Regularly review and update your fall risk assessment

Workplace safety is a process that keeps going. By checking and updating your fall risk assessment, you make sure that your safety measures are working and up-to-date. As work processes and environments change, new dangers can arise, and what was once safe can become a potential danger. 

Regular reviews allow you to stay ahead of these changes, identifying and addressing new fall risks before they result in accidents. For example, adding new equipment or changing the way a workspace is laid out could create new fall hazards. A new assessment would help to find these risks.

Employee feedback is a critical asset during the review and update process. Frontline workers often observe subtle changes in their environment that may not be immediately obvious to management. By involving your team in regular updates, you can gain insights that might otherwise be overlooked. 

This collaborative approach not only improves safety but also cultivates a culture of open communication and mutual trust. Tell your employees to tell you if they have any worries about falling. Tell them that their help is important to keeping a safe workplace. 

Updating your fall risk assessment after incidents is another critical step. Even with the best preventive measures in place, accidents can still happen. When they do, it’s essential to revisit your assessment to understand what went wrong and how to prevent similar incidents in the future. This process should be thorough and fair, involving a detailed analysis of the incident and input from all relevant parties. By doing this, you can make sure your safety rules are changed, which will make it less likely that someone will fall in the future.

Technology tools, such as specialized apps, can significantly streamline the review and update process, making it more efficient and effective. These apps can help you track changes in the workplace, monitor employee feedback, and document incidents in real-time. They can also automate reminder for regular reviews, ensuring that no updates are overlooked.

With the right technology, you can maintain a consistent and data-driven approach to fall risk management. This is important in today's fast-paced and ever-changing work environments. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, leveraging technology can help you stay on top of your safety obligations and create a safer workplace for everyone.

And there you have it. 5 steps to create a great fall risk assessment. 

Safety is vital to the health and sustainability of a business. Understanding the ways your employees are unsafe at work can help you build a better business overall. 

Let us know how you're working toward a safer workplace environment. We're always interested in hearing how companies are making their teams safer.