Ready for a trip?

How you and others address jobsite organization and housekeeping has a direct impact on just how many “trips” others will take on your jobsite. If you’re lucky, none of those trips will be by ambulance . . . or worse.

When we started looking at story possibilities for this issue’s Jobsite Safety stories, we dug into the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data to see what types of incidents cause the most injuries and fatalities in today’s workplace.

No, it’s not on-the-job violence or electrocution. It’s not exposure to harmful substances. We were surprised to find that a leading cause was a broad category called slips, trips and falls. 

They represent 15 percent of all accidental deaths in today’s workplace and second only to motor vehicle as a cause of death.

We’ve covered fall protection in past issues, but the slip- and trip-related accidents need some well-deserved attention.

When slips and trips occur, they may appear to be humorous (especially when it happens to someone else). But they are no laughing matter.

A slip or trip is a symptom of a deeper problem. It’s a sign that the jobsite needs some housekeeping. It also may mean that tools and supplies are showing up on the jobsite before they are needed.

Because jobsite conditions change daily, it’s a difficult problem to address. But how often have you been on a jobsite where tools and materials used for concrete form work stayed on the site well into the construction process?

It is everyone’s job to address jobsite clutter. It’s more than good housekeeping, it’s just plain good business sense.

If you work closely with your distributors and shop runners who deliver your tools and supplies on a timely basis, much of that clutter can be avoided.

Dan Anderson, the contributing editor who wrote the story, “Safety in small steps” that appears on page 31 of this issue, makes some very important points that would make good grist for a tailgate talk or a safety meeting.

The sidebar article that accompanies the story, “The ‘Five S’ process to increasing safety,” has its roots in Japanese manufacturing processes. It can dramatically reduce trips and slips, and other accidents for that matter, in plants. The process can also be applied to construction sites, and its approach should also help you make your jobsite more productive and efficient.

How you and others address jobsite organization and housekeeping has a direct impact on just how many “trips” others will take on your jobsite. If you’re lucky, none of those trips will be by ambulance  . . . or worse.

Published in the March/April 2002 issue of Contractor Tools and Supplies magazine.

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