Catering staff wearing shattered face masks. Download image. (365KB).
Catering staff at Suffolk New College have pledged their support to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the latest phase of its Shattered Lives campaign to highlight the devastating consequences of slips, trips and falls in the workplace.
The kitchen at Suffolk New College provides dozens of meals a day for students and staff. It's a busy kitchen providing a high quality of service, from the daily routine of preparing good quality meals for its members.
And while catering staff and students at Suffolk New College have no worries about the excellent service they provide, they were keen to ensure they had safety high on their agenda and invited HSE inspectors into their premises to offer advice on how to avoid accidents as part of the Shattered Lives campaign. The college teaches health and safety units as part of its catering courses.
Nationally, a total of 61 people died and more than 14,000 suffered serious injury as a result of a slip, trip or fall from height in British workplaces last year
In the East of England there were 6 fatalities and more than 3,781 serious injuries. In Ipswich, 90 people were injured in slips, trips and falls, with 72 injured as a result of a slip or trip, 16 hurt from low falls and two from high falls. In Suffolk some 515 people were hurt.
The second phase of the Shattered Lives campaign, launched earlier this month (February), aims to highlight the devastating consequences of slips, trips and falls in the workplace and to encourage employers, in consultation with their employees, to 'take action'.
Annette Hall, HSE Inspector, said: "It's great that students and staff at the college are backing the campaign and doing their bit to help get the message across.
"People often view slips, trips and falls as trivial incidents, even comical but they are no joke to those who suffer major injuries, a lifetime of disability, time off work and in the worst cases death.
"We want to raise awareness of how these incidents can happen and how they can be easily avoided by taking common sense actions and precautions at no or little cost. If you spot a hazard in your workplace deal with it, don't assume that somebody else will.
"The lives of workers and their families are shattered by the serious consequences of these types of accidents. Simple measures introduced by businesses can make a positive difference to safety in the workplace.
"I am pleased that the college takes such a positive attitude to teaching students the importance of health and safety. Caterers of the future in Suffolk will have a better understanding of how to remain safe in the workplace."
Lindsay Grant, Health and Safety Manager at Suffolk New College, said: "The cartoon scene showing a character slipping on a banana skin or on some other substance is meant to make us laugh and portray such incidents as funny. People slipping, tripping and falling tend to pick themselves up embarrassed and walk off often pretending not to be hurt even when they are, so clearly slipping, tripping and falling is not funny.
"Slips, Trips and Falls can have lasting negative effects on people's lives as the HSE's 'Shattered Lives' campaign has shown using images in different settings that stays with you. It's not only high falls that can be serious, low falls, depending on where they occur can also have serious consequences.
"We at Suffolk New College are supportive of the HSE's 'Shattered Lives' campaign to reduce slip and trip injuries and are committed to providing a safe workplace for staff and an environment where students can learn in safety."
Dave Muller, Principal of Suffolk New College, said: "This is a very important campaign which has the full backing of our Governing Body and Senior Staff. This Slips, Trips and Falls Campaign alerts staff and students to important safety issues and practical guidance from the HSE is greatly welcomed."
Fatalities and serious injuries arising from slips, trips and fall incidents cost British society an estimated £700 million last year.
The campaign is targeted at seven sectors where there is a prevalence of such injuries: food retail, catering and hospitality, food and drink manufacturing, building and plant maintenance, construction, healthcare and education, although the risks can occur in any workplace.
To help businesses take preventive action the HSE launched STEP - an interactive learning package that provides practical guidance to help users tackle slips, trips and falls in their workplace. The tool is free and can be accessed online at www.hse.gov.uk/slips/step/index.htm. Advice on Working at Height can also be found at HSE's WAIT section of the website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/wait/index.htm
Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.
Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News & PR East
Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office who act as HSE's Press Office throughout Great Britain.
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