If you don’t see what you’re looking for in our frequently asked questions below, please email your question(s) to bodyworncameras@vpd.ca.

slip, trip and fall hazards control measures

If you are captured on a video or audio recording, and are not directly involved in the incident, your face will be blurred or sections of the video will be redacted, if the footage is going to be used in court proceedings.

Basically, anything that decreases the amount of friction between your foot and the walking surface increases the risk of slipping.

Wet floorhazardand control

Officially, OSHA's trip hazard height is a quarter inch. Any change in floor level that is ¼ inch or more constitutes a tripping hazard.

A fall happens when your center of gravity shifts unexpectedly, but for workplace safety purposes, falls are divided into two different categories: same-level falls and elevated falls.

Finally, some specific slip, trip, and fall OSHA regulations ensure a safe exit route from any workplace. After all, the last thing you want during an emergency evacuation is a bottleneck at the exit. These Means of Egress regulations are found under §1910.36-37.

We believe the cameras will strengthen public safety, enhance transparency, trust, and accountability in interactions between the police and the public. There are, understandably, many concerns surrounding the use of body-worn cameras. If you don’t see your questions answered in our FAQ section below or in the guidelines, please email us at bodyworncameras@vpd.ca.

Slippery floorhazardprevention

Thanks to internal and external feedback, we are now working on a report to outline what would be required for a full operational rollout.

A slip happens when there's insufficient traction between your foot and the walking-working surface, causing a sudden loss of balance.

As a result, a lot of slip, trip, and fall prevention relies on the ability of your workforce to recognize slipping and tripping hazards, understand how to mitigate them, and know how to use safe work practices to minimize their risk.

Related Construction Industry standards are scattered throughout §1926, including Subparts C, L, M, and X. However, OSHA's 2017 slip, trip, and fall revisions aligned Construction standards with General Industry wherever possible.

Slippery floorhazardor risk

Officers from Patrol and our Traffic Enforcement Section volunteered and have received specialized training. Each officer will receive their own personal-issue camera.

The trouble is that the circumstances that lead to slips and trips tend to be spontaneous and changeable – they don't exist until suddenly they do. That means preventing slips, trips, and falls is an ongoing process that relies heavily on employees being able to recognize related hazards.

A recording is automatically deleted after 13 months unless it is evidence of a crime or complaint. Once all court processes are complete, the recording will be deleted. They may also be kept for training purposes as long as that training remains relevant.

Need to train your employees? Sign up today to set up a business account with OSHA.com. We offer an enhanced Learning Management System (LMS) and special discounts for large orders.

An elevated fall is when someone falls from one level to another, like from a ladder, scaffold, building, or through an opening in the floor.

Only the officer who took the footage and other designated staff with approval can view the video. The name of an employee, and the date and time, is automatically tracked for every person viewing the video.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your workforce fresh on this topic is to use online courses from an OSHA-authorized training provider like us. We have a Walking and Working Surface course that your employees can take at their own convenience and pace. Get started today!

Other factors can also contribute to the likelihood that you'll trip, including lack of coordination or an obstructed view of the walking surface. Many circumstances can contribute, including:

OSHA.com is a privately operated site offering online OSHA training and is in no way affiliated with the OSHA website available at http://osha.gov. OSHA Outreach courses are provided in partnership with 360training.com, an OSHA-authorized online Outreach Provider. OSHA Outreach Trainer – Jason Cole

Viewing the records is restricted to investigation or training purposes, and in accordance with the B.C. Provincial Policing Standards and VPD guidelines and policies.

Sliphazards in the workplace

Sworn and civilian members from across the VPD formed a working group to plan the roll-out of the body-worn cameras and create guidelines for our officers.

A trip happens when your leg or foot comes into contact with a hazard (either an object or an uneven surface) that arrests the movement of your lower body while momentum carries your upper body forward.

But the second-most common cause of workplace injury is a trip or slip hazard that leads to a fall. And 20-30% of workplace falls result in a moderate or severe injury like deep bruising, broken bones, or concussions.

VPD officers must identify potential privacy risks and ensure that measures are taken to mitigate those risks, such as in these situations:

Even though there's no formal OSHA requirement for Slip, Trip, and Fall training, workers need education and regular refreshers in OSHA trip hazards and regulations to accomplish all of this correctly.

Slip hazardexamples

When you think of a workplace accident, you probably think of something dramatic – an explosion or an amputation, for example.

Recordings will only be released in accordance with Part 2 or Part 3 criteria in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). You can apply here.

Throughout the pilot, we sought feedback and input from community groups, as well as anyone involved in an interaction where cameras are used.

OSHA's primary standard for slip, trip, and fall hazards is the General Industry Walking-Working Surface standard (29 CFR 1910 Subpart D, which includes §1910.21-30).

Wet floor risk assessment

slips, trips and falls hazards in the workplace

But it's just a surface you walk on…or work on. Walking-working surfaces include floors, aisles, stairs, platforms, and more.

In fact, according to OSHA, slips, trips, and falls cause nearly 700 workplace fatalities per year – that's 15% of all workplace deaths.

There are many factors that can contribute to the likelihood of a slip or trip. Many slip or trip hazards are substances or objects that make a walking-working surface dangerous, but footwear and environmental conditions also play a part.

Between January and June 2024, the VPD conducted our Body Worn Camera Pilot Project. Select officers in the Downtown Core, East Vancouver, and in our Traffic Services Section, took part in the six-month trial. This trial provided valuable feedback as we work toward a broader body-cam rollout for all frontline Vancouver Police officers.

Body-worn cameras are relatively small devices that record interactions between the public and police officers. The video and audio recordings can be used to enhance accountability, transparency, and public confidence.

Axon body-cameras. Traffic Enforcement officers will have an additional POV camera accessory attached to their motorcycle helmet.