According to the National Safety Council, slips and falls are the leading cause of death in the workplace and the source of more than 20 percent of disabling injuries - resulting in more than 1,500 fatalities and more than 564,000 ddisabling injuries annually.

Every 18 seconds, a worker is injured on the job according to the National Safety Council's 1989 edition of Accident Facts. Every 50 minutes, one worker dies from a work related injury. Although off-the-job statistics run much higher, today's employers are aware of the negative impact that on-the-job injuries, deaths and accidents have on production and profitability. High medical costs, rising insurance and legal costa and increasing workman's compensation benefits, make safety a major priority in conducting business.

Slips and falls cost American businesses a fortune in lost productivity, workers' compensation insurance, and other expenses. Health care costs alone amount to more than $37 billion each year. The psychological damage in pain, anguish, and the loss of worker morale are beyond measure. With this notorious record, slips and falls have to be considered the number one enemy of work place safety.