How To Prevent “Slip And Fall” Accidents When Working Outdoors

Working outdoors has a lot of perks, especially when you do it with a set goal in mind. This can be from the perspective of someone who needs to maintain a figure for summer, someone who has to stay healthy to avoid sickness, or someone who has to exercise for therapy. Regardless of the reasons, working outside can be quite the enjoyable activity, but it also has its own set of risks, especially considering the possibility of “slip and fall” accidents and other injuries.

When one hears “slip and fall,” one might think of instances in cartoons where a character steps on a slippery object, and a laugh track is heard on queue. The appearance of characters slipping in cartoons is comedic, but slips and falls are very serious accidents that can cause a wide variety of injuries. If you’re doing intensive physical activities such as working out, it’s important to know just how to prevent slips and falls from occurring if it’s possible.

Accidents related to slips and falls aren’t exactly rare, either. In fact, in the United Kingdom, 29 percent of non-fatal work injuries in 2016 were in fact slips and falls.

Assessment: What Exactly Can Make You Slip?

Slipping occurs because a slippery surface may prevent your feet from exerting friction on it, making you slip instead of otherwise stabilizing your feet on the surface. This means slipping doesn’t happen randomly, but it does happen unexpectedly. If you’ve noticed, in cartoons, the comedic slips happen when bananas and other slippery objects are on the ground for characters to step on. It may be wise to find out just what the “banana” in your location can be.

• To find your “banana,” it’s important to check just what parts of your routine can potentially make you slip. Is this something connected with your stretching, particularly when you extend your legs? Is this something that happens when you jog? Try to do your usual routine and have someone observe you, so both you and the observer can find out just what aspects of your routine can potentially make you prone to slipping.
• Are there chances of slipping while you use other objects or equipment? Things such as weights, jump rope, and exercise accessories might look mundane, but certain mishaps can actually make you prone to a big slip. If your music player falls and your earphones come off, a leg might get tangled in the cord. If your weights on your legs come off, the strap can drag you with them. These situations, while unlikely, are still very possible scenarios to take note of.

Research: Where Exactly Can You Slip?

You have read above that certain parts of your routine, including the things you carry with you, can potentially make slip and fall accidents happen. However, another important aspect of preventing slips and falls is getting to know just exactly how your work out “zone” works. Where exactly are you working out, and what potential hazards are there?

• This aspect of the prevention process is important, as not a lot of outdoor routines are the same. For instance, you may be working out in your backyard, or you may be jogging around town. These are two different parts of the outdoors that may have their own potential hazards. If you have decided where you want to frequently work out outdoors, it wouldn’t be bad to at least jog around the area and carefully check things such as puddles or pavements that are incompatible with your shoes.
• If there are aspects of your exercise area that make it unsafe for you, try to find alternative places to work out, especially if you really like doing it outdoors. Do make sure you conduct the same “slippery assessment” in these areas, as places like the nearby park, open courts and playgrounds, or even your own backyard can have hazards that can make you prone to slipping.

Prevention: How Exactly Can You Avoid Slipping?

Now that you’ve researched the potential hazards of your outdoor routine both on you and on the environment, you can now apply this knowledge to do something about slips and falls. Here are some steps to take:

1. Take note of the areas, activities, and objects that might cause potential hazards and list them.
2. Which of the things on your list can you modify? For instance, if you think your shoes are incompatible with your fitness zone, is it possible to replace your shoes? Are there any alternatives to the potentially hazardous equipment you have?
3. Based on the list, what routines need replacing? If stretching a particular way can make you prone to slipping, would the same stretching be accomplished with a rail or near a wall for assistance? Perhaps alternative routine options can be considered.
4. How compatible is your routine with an indoor setup? If, for instance, you are hesitant to join an indoor gym because of subscription costs, yet your routine could be done indoors, perhaps a subscription can greatly help your situation. After all, hospital bills can be much costlier than a monthly subscription fee.

Find the Right Balance for You

As you’ve read above, preventing slip and fall accidents when working out outdoors may be a matter of finding the right balance between what you want to do, what equipment you possess, and the kind of area you want to conduct the workout in. While there are different kinds of “outdoors,” knowing the best one for your particular exercise routine can be an important step in avoiding the stresses of slips and falls.

If you have any questions about the impact of slips and falls on your body, it may help to consult a medical professional. If you want to know more about the legal implications of slip and fall accidents, especially if the injuries were a result of domestic violence because of an abusive presence, feel free to click here for more information.