What are the chances of slipping or tripping at your workplace?

Slips and trips are the most common cause of accidents at work. They can happen to everyone, and can cause very serious injuries and sometimes even death.

Does this apply to my business?

Slips and trips will be an issue for your business if you can answer 'yes' to any of the following:

Have there been any accidents or near misses?
Are your indoor and outdoor floors slippery at any time?
Does waste, product, water or other contamination get onto the floor regularly?
Are walkways uneven, pot-holed, too cluttered to use or do they have obstructions running across them?
Is the lighting very dim or causing glare?

What do employers need to do?

To avoid slips and trips:

keep floors clean, dry and free from obstacles;
stop contamination from getting on to the floor;
clean up spills and other contamination quickly;
stop people from walking on smooth wet floors;
if slips still happen, is your floor rough enough for the work taking place? Seek expert advice before making changes;
non-slip or sensible footwear can help reduce slips in some situations;
keep the workplace tidy and the floor in good condition;
see it, sort it! Encourage a positive approach to preventing slips and trips. Train workers to recognise the risks and to do something about them.

Who is at risk?

Slips and trips happen in every workplace - nowhere is exempt.

Accident data indicates that the people most likely to have a slip or trip: work in construction and maintenance; the postal service; have food handling related jobs (catering, food retail and food manufacturing); and are cleaners or are drivers.

People who are unfamiliar with the workplace, such as new starters and members of the public, and vulnerable people, such as those with disabilities, can also be at particular risk.