According to the U.S. Department of Labor, slips, trips and falls make up the majority of general industry accidents, which account for:

  • 15 percent of all accidental deaths per year, the second-leading cause behind motor vehicles
  • About 25 percent of all reported injury claims per fiscal year
  • More than 95 million lost work days per year – about 65 percent of all work days lost

In self storage we are concerned about both employee and tenant accidents.

Slips and falls usually occur due to a loss of traction between the shoe and the walking surface or an inadvertent contact with an object or obstacle which may lead to a fall. There are a variety of hazards that may cause slips, trips and falls. Think how these may apply to your self storage location.

  • Wet or greasy floors
  • Dry floors with dust
  • Uneven walking surfaces
  • Polished or freshly waxed floors
  • Loose or wrinkled flooring, carpeting or mats
  • Transition from one floor type to another
  • Damaged or irregular steps
  • No handrails
  • Sloped walking surfaces
  • Shoes with wet, muddy, greasy or oily soles
  • Clutter around walking areas
  • Electrical cords or computer cables
  • Open desk or file cabinet drawers
  • Damaged ladder steps, or a wobbly ladder
  • Ramps and gang planks without skid-resistant surfaces
  • Metal surfaces – dock plates, construction plates
  • Weather hazards – rain, sleet, ice, snow, hail, frost
  • Wet leaves or pine needles

As a self storage operator you can see where many of the above situations may occur. Your goal is to take precautionary steps to minimize the chance of the above hazards from occurring.

Here are five guidelines to help reduce the chance of a slip, trip or fall from occurring.

1) Establish Consistent Janitorial Practice
Good housekeeping is critical. Safety and housekeeping go hand-in-hand. If your facility’s housekeeping habits are poor, the result may be a higher
incidence of employee or customer injuries.

Proper housekeeping is a routine. It is an ongoing procedure that is simply done as a part of each worker’s daily performance. To create an effective housekeeping program, there are three simple steps to get you started:

  • Plan ahead– Know what needs to be done, who’s going to do it and what the particular work area should look like when you are done.
  • Assign responsibilities– It may be necessary to assign tasks to a specific person, although personal responsibility for cleaning up after himself/herself is preferred.
  • Implement a program– Establish housekeeping procedures as a part of the daily routine. Perhaps a checklist should be completed by the responsible person(s).

2) Reduce Wet or Slippery Surfaces
Walking surfaces account for a significant portion of injuries. The most frequently reported types of surfaces where these injuries occur at a self
storage facility include:

  • Parking lots
  • Sidewalks
  • Floors – slippery hallway or office flooring
  • Transition lip between the driveway and the storage unit

Traction on outdoor surfaces can change considerably when weather conditions change. Those conditions can then affect indoor surfaces as moisture
is tracked in by pedestrian traffic. Traction control procedures should be constantly monitored for their effectiveness.

  • Keep parking lots and sidewalks clean and in good repair.
  • When snow and ice are present, remove or treat these elements. In some extreme cases, it may be necessary to suspend use of the area.
  • Use adhesive striping material or anti-skid paint whenever possible.

Indoor control (climate areas or office) measures can help reduce the incidence of slips and falls.

  • Use moisture-absorbent mats with beveled edges in entrance areas. Make sure they have backing material that will not slide on the floor.
  • Display “Wet Floor” signs as needed.
  • Use anti-skid adhesive tape in troublesome areas.
  • Clean up spills immediately. Conduct a daily walk through to look for tenant spills.

3) Avoid Creating Obstacles in Aisles and Walkways
Injuries can also result in from trips caused by obstacles, clutter, materials and equipment in aisles, corridors, entrance-ways and stairwells. Proper
housekeeping in work and traffic areas is still the most effective control measure for avoiding these types of hazards. This means
having policies or procedures in place and allowing time for cleaning the area, especially where scrap material or waste is a by-product of the work
operation.

  • Keep all work areas, passageways, storerooms and service areas clean and orderly.
  • Avoid stringing cords, cables or air hoses across hallways or in any designated aisle.
  • In office areas, avoid leaving boxes, files or briefcases in the aisles.
  • Encourage safe work practices such as closing file cabinet drawers after use and picking up loose items from the floor.
  • Conduct periodic inspections for slip and trip hazards.

4) Wear Proper Shoes
 The shoes employees wear can play a big part in preventing falls. The slickness of the soles and the type of heels worn need to be evaluated to avoid
slips, trips and falls. Shoelaces need to be tied correctly. Whenever a fall-related injury is investigated, the footwear needs to be evaluated to see if it
contributed to the incident. Employees are expected to wear footwear appropriate for the duties of their work task. Establish a footwear guideline for
employees.

5) Individual Behavior
 This condition is the toughest to control. It is human nature to let our guard down for two seconds and be distracted by random thoughts or doing
multiple activities. Being in a hurry will result in walking too fast or running which increases the chances of a slip, trip or fall. Taking shortcuts, not
watching where one is going, using a cell phone, carrying materials which obstructs the vision or wearing sunglasses in low-light areas. Post signs for
tenants to remind them of safe moving and storage practices. Lend them a cart or dolly to help them move their items.