In what workplace am I most likely to fall?

Premise liability is not limited to public commercial areas or residential landlords. While you are at work, your workplace has the responsibility to ensure that your surroundings are as safe as possible.

When most people imagine a “dangerous workplace,” it is likely they do not think of an office environment. However, thousands of people sustain injury in offices due to falls every year. In fact, according to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, office workers are over two times more likely to suffer injury from a fall as compared to non-office workers.

What can cause a fall in an office?

Since an office environment has many different people who are engaging in a variety of administrative tasks, it is possible for you to sustain injury due to the negligence of others. For instance, a co-worker may inadvertently leave a drawer open in a filing cabinet. This could cause somebody to trip and sustain injury.

Unmarked wet floors are also a common source of falls. In older offices, carpet can crumple up in corners or even in the middle of a hallway, posing a tripping hazard.

How can I prevent falls?

Even though the owners of your office building have a duty of care to ensure that the building is safe, you also must take reasonable precautions to protect yourself from falling. Make sure that you look before you walk, and close all drawers and cabinets the moment so you finish with them.

Additionally, if you need to get something off of a high shelf, take the time to get a step ladder rather than try to stand on a chair. This is also a very common source of injury in offices.