Slips, trips and falls (STFs) are a major cause of preventable injuries and deaths in the workplace. According to the US Department of Labor, STFs make up the majority of general industrial accidents and 15% of all accidental deaths (second only to motor vehicle deaths). They are one of the most frequently reported injuries (25% of claims per year). Over 17% of all disabling occupational injuries result from falls. Most could have been prevented.

Slips, trips and falls happen everywhere – manufacturing facilities, retail stores, retirement communities, government offices, schools, corporate offices and at home. Sadly, the cost to employers and workers can be substantial.

Cost to the employer could be:

• Loss of productivity & business
• Increased industrial insurance premiums
• Costs associated with training replacement workers

Costs to the worker could be:

• Lost wages and out-of-pocket expenses
• Pain
• Temporary or permanent disability
• Reduced quality of life
• Depression
• Death

Typical STF injuries are sprains & strains, bruises & contusions, fractures and abrasions & lacerations. Some of the leading hazards are:

Common Causes of Slips

• Wet products or spills that aren’t cleaned up
• Highly polished floors
• Freshly-waxed surfaces
• Sloped walking surfaces
• Leaves, pine needles and other plant debris
• Weather hazards

Common Causes of Trips

• Extension cords, cables or wires across aisles or walkways
• Clutter or obstacles in aisles or walkways
• Open desk, cabinet or file drawers
• Changes in elevation
• Carpets/mats with curled edges
• Missing or uneven floor tiles
• Damaged or non-uniform steps

STFs are Preventable

The following are a few steps you can take to reduce STF hazards. This list is not intended to be all-inclusive.

• Design workplace & processes to prevent potential exposures to slip and trip hazards
• Conduct a daily safety survey to look for common culprits such as wet or greasy floors, loose mats, torn carpeting, bad lighting, clutter, cables or wires, and uneven floors.
• Immediately attend to any problems by putting up warning signs and taking steps to quickly eliminate the hazard.
• Train your employees in slip and fall safety including establishing guidelines on how employees should report problems and respond to customer injuries or hazardous situation.
• Take care of your outdoor areas, including sidewalks and parking lots. Snow and ice create potential problems.*
• Practice good housekeeping – maintain clean, tidy work areas free of clutter
• Use safe walking practices
• Wear proper footwear with good traction
• Learn to fall “properly”

*A special note on addressing weather conditions in outdoor areas.

Winter can bring a host of potential hazards and increase the changes of STFs. According to MDOL and the industry’s leading insurance companies, the average ice-related slip-and-fall claim is $33,000; and if that claim is a worker’s compensation claim, that number increases to $48,000. It’s best to be proactive to keep your employees, residents and customers safe.

• Don’t wait until the storm has started to apply ice melting products. Select the appropriate ice melt based on your facility’s needs and outdoor temperature. Practice pre-treating.
• Don’t fall into the trap of thinking snow management automatically means safe premises. Just because the snow is plowed and shoveled doesn’t guarantee that the walking and driving surfaces are safe.
• More isn’t always better in the application of ice melt. Follow product instructions for optimum results.
• Don’t assume the presence of rock salt means a surface is slip free. It takes time to work.

It may be March, but it’s never a bad time to consider the benefits of using an ice melt product for winter safety. The advantages of ice melt appeal to homeowners, business owners, and renters alike.

Advantages of Ice Melt

1. It’s affordable

Too often, people make the mistake of choosing not to buy ice melt as a means of saving some money. However, this mistake can be costly. The consequences of not using ice melt during winter weather are much more expensive than the product itself. Stay on the safe side and invest in ice melt each winter season.

Liquid Deicer vs Salt

For years and years, the country relied solely on salt to treat roads during winter weather. However, as salt supply becomes more and more limited, some people are starting to turn to an alternative: liquid deicer. How does liquid deicer compare to the traditional road salt? Below, we’ll outline some of the key differences between liquid deicer vs salt along with some benefits and drawbacks of each.

Liquid Deicer

It’s clear that liquid deicer isn’t the go-to when it comes to treating unsafe roads in the winter, but it’s becoming increasingly popular. Liquid deicer can be applied to surfaces before snow accumulation, or it can be applied to surfaces that are already covered in snow. So, it works as both an anti-icing product and a de-icing product.

Advantages

• Liquid deicer tends to stick to roads better than salt, meaning that it embeds into the icy surface and results in less bounce and scatter. It also remains effective for a longer period of time.
• Overall, it takes fewer people to apply liquid deicer than it does salt. This is a huge benefit for those who are concerned about labor costs.
• Liquid deicer is kinder to the environment. Since it can be applied with precision, liquid deicer causes less damage to roads and foliage than bulk salt.

Disadvantages

• When it comes to actually melting ice, liquid deicer takes longer to work than salt does. For this reason, it’s used more often as an anti-icing product than a de-icing one, and it’s not very effective for use on thick ice or packed-down snow.
• Liquid deicer costs more to transport than salt.
• Liquid materials require knowledge and experience to use. While it may be easy for anyone to apply salt, this isn’t the case for liquid deicer. If the product is used incorrectly, it won’t yield proper results.

Salt

Rock salt is the tried and true material for treating icy roadways, making it the most common option. Salt is extremely effective in breaking down and melting thick layers of ice and snow.

Advantages

• Salt works faster than liquid deicer. Due to its composition, salt is much quicker at melting ice and snow that’s already on the ground.
• Salt can be applied more quickly than liquid deicer. While it may take fewer people to apply liquid deicer, salt can generally be put down in a lot less time.
• Salt is relatively easy to handle and store.

Disadvantages

• Salt can easily bounce or be scattered by traffic, resulting in more potential waste. For this reason, it can’t be spread on roads too early because vehicles could displace it before the snow even starts.
• Its price is unstable and based on supply and demand. There’s not an unlimited supply of salt in the world, so the price of it can vary depending on the amount of snowfall that occurs during a winter season.

When it comes to choosing liquid deicer vs salt, there isn’t one option that really outshines the other. Each has its benefits and drawbacks and are both effective in different situations. If you have any questions regarding liquid deicer vs salt, feel free to contact us! Also, don’t forget to check out some of our ice melt products!

The History of Road Salt

For as long as many of us can remember, we’ve been using salt to treat our roads and keep them safer during winter weather. However, when did we start using road salt, and how did it come to be? Read on to find out more on the history of road salt.

Background

Road salt first appeared in the United States, when New Hampshire began to experiment with granular sodium chloride in 1938. By the winter of 1941-1942, the state began using salt on local roads and highways. Eventually, other states in the country caught on and began using salt to treat their roads. Today, the United States alone uses between 10 and 20 million tons of road salt each winter. To put this into perspective, our country uses 10 times as much salt on our roads than we do in processed food.

Where Does it Come From?

So, where does all of this rock salt come from? While different types of salt are made in different ways, most rock salt comes from underground seams of crystal salt, according to National Geographic. These crystal salt seams likely formed from the evaporation of ancient seas. To harvest the salt, miners follow underground shafts and break off slabs of the salt crystal by using dynamite or powered shoveling machines. Then, the salt is put onto a truck or conveyor belt and taken to be crushed into what we know as rock salt. There are rock salt mines all over the world, even in the United States. Believe it or not, one of the biggest mines in the country is found underneath the city of Detroit.

Road Salt Facts and Statistics

Now that we’ve covered the history of road salt and where it comes from, let’s look at some surprising facts and statistics about it:

• According to a study performed by Marquette University, road salt reduces car crashes by 88 percent, injuries by 85 percent, and accident costs by 85 percent.
• Deicing with road salt pays for itself in just 25 minutes after the salt is spread.
• During the first four hours after salt is applied, the direct road users’ benefits are $6.50 for every $1.00 spend on direct maintenance costs for the operation.
• The use of road salt reduces crashes by 93 percent on 4-lane roads and by 42 percent on smaller, 2-lane roads.

Clearly, the use of road salt during winter weather quickly pays for itself, making it well worth the initial investment. If you’re in need of some road salt or ice melt products, check out what The Cope Company has to offer!

Believe it or not, there’s more to applying ice melt than simply sprinkling it on the sidewalk and calling it a day. However, many people often neglect to educate themselves on how to properly use ice melt. As a result, there can be some dangerous and messy consequences. Update yourself on these common ice melt mistakes, and make sure you know how to avoid them! Continue reading →

Winter snow may look pretty, but it comes with some not so pretty and dangerous outcomes like icy roads and walkways. So, having the correct product for your needs is important. When it comes to ice melt, many people find themselves asking, “How much do I apply?” Good question. First, you need to understand the difference between ice melt and rock salt and know that different temperatures and surfaces require the appropriate product in order to work effectively. Continue reading →

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