"Footwalks shall have a walking surface of antislip type." 

#1910.261

"Steps with nonslip surfaces shall be provided."

#1910.236

"All walkway surfaces shall be maintained in nonslip condition."    

#1910.265

"Floors, footwalks, and passageways in the work area around machines, or other places

 where a person is required to stand or walk, shall be provided with effective means to

minimize slipping."

#1910.94

"Floors and platforms around tanks shall be prevented from becoming slippery"

General Safety Orders Title 8

"Permanent floors and platforms shall be free of dangerous projections or obstructions, maintained in good repair, and reasonably free of oil, grease or water.  Where the type  of operation necessitates working on slippery floors, such surfaces shall be protected against slipping by using mats, grates, cleats or  other methods which provide equivalent  protection." Most of these procedures are only minimally effective, or too expensive to be practical.

_________________________________________________________________

  Statistics obtained from The National Safety Council, The U.S. Department of  Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and The Department of Health and Human Services, clearly demonstrates a need for this law.  However, the law is only effective if is recognizes reasonable compliance.  Over 9 million people every year, or about 25 thousand people per day, are victims to slip/fall accidents.  Of those, 1.6 million were permanently disabled, and about 15 thousand die!  A Bureau of Labor Statistics survey reveals that the most prevalent type of  workrelated accident is the slip/fall.  A total of 35% of all work related accidents are classified as falls.  Falls  represent  over  65% of  all work related lost mandays. 

  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission there are 187,000 injuries each year requiring hospital treatment.  These are a direct  result of slip/falls in bath tubs and showers.  The total loss in dollars and time from these injuries amounts to over 3.5 million  dollars each hour, each day, for 365 days per year.  Slip/falls cause a onehundred billion dollar problem each year.  The solution would repay the National Debt in less than 3 years.

  Because of more slip/fall accidents, people are becoming more litigious, are seeking more legal advice, filing more lawsuits with increasing frequency; and, the courts are awarding larger settlements to victims of slip/fall accidents.  

  During the 1960's juries awarded verdicts of 1 million dollars or more at the rate of only about 3 per year.  By 1981, there were 235 per year and by 1985 there were over 600 each year.  Just imagine what the 90's will bring if we continue current practices.  Cases exist where negligent liability protection under Workman's Compensation laws was not effective.  Under the deep pockets liability theory the employee/victim can seek

remedy indirectly and win.  Negligence suites awarding a victim liberal compensation against tile or chemical manufacturers are becoming more common.  The tile or chemical manufacturer may then seek damages from the employer for improper use of their product.

  To make things worse, OSHA reports that from 80 to 90% of all accidents are a result of manmade omissions.  However, the statistic was based on the premise that a solution existed.

The fact that these alarming statistics have not significantly changed, when the recognized nonslip corrections were implemented, leads us to believe that there were no `valid' equivalent protection measures available.  Our research* suggests that no realistic solution was possible.  The courts, however, will not accept `no realistic solution' as an excuse.  The courts demand a solution.

  Because of this legal mandate, insurance premiums are heading higher and higher.  Business insurance rates are skyrocketing and no end is in sight.