HSE teams up with Barnfield College to say: "Slips, trips and falls are no joke!"

Date:

16 March 2009

Release No:

E149:09

Luton's Barnfield College is backing the HSE's Slips, Trips and Falls campaign to raise awareness about the importance of taking health and safety seriously.

Slips, trips and falls are no joke and last year saw one person die in Luton as a result of a low fall (a fall from below 2m) and 14 suffer injury. In total, 120 people were injured as a result of all slips, trips or falls in the town, while in Bedfordshire some 243 people were hurt.

The HSE visited Barnfield College this week to help promote the campaign, which forms the second phase of the wider Shattered Lives campaign 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'.

Stephen Manley, HSE Principal Inspector for Luton and Bedfordshire, said:

"It is great that Barnfield College is leading the way and showing how it takes health and safety seriously. 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."

Statistically, in Britain last year 74% of fatal fall injuries were from a height of 2m and above. But the figures were reversed when it came to non-fatal major injuries, with low falls of under 2m accounting for some 77%.

Pete Birkett, Chief Executive of Barnfield College and Chairman of Barnfield Academies, said:

"I am a very strong supporter of the Slips, Trips and Falls campaign to make people more aware of safety issues at work.

"Our highest priority at Barnfield is to protect all our staff and students against any risks to their health or safety arising out of activities at the College. We take our role as an Investors in People Champion very seriously in looking after the interests of our staff and students."

Fatalities and serious injuries arising from slips, trips and fall incidents cost British society an estimated £700 million last year. Workplaces in the East of England saw a total of six people die and more than 3,781 suffer serious injury as a result of a slip, trip or fall from height last year. Nationally, 61 people died and more than 14,000 suffered serious injury.

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

Notes to editors

1. Phase 1 of the shattered lives campaign was launched in February 2008
2. For further information about slips, trips and falls and the shattered lives campaign visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives
3. The regional breakdown is as follows:

Fatal injuries to workers as a result of slip/trip or fall broken down by Local Authority during 2007/08p
La code	Kind Group				Total
	Slip or trip	High fall	Low fall	Fall - height not known
Luton Unitary Authority	-	-	1	-	1
Basildon District Council	-	-	-	1	1
Dacorum Borough Council	-	-	1	-	1
Norwich City of	-	1	-	-	1
Kings Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council	-	1	-	-	1
Mid Suffolk District Council	-	-	1	-	1

Major and Over 3 day injuries to employees as a result of slip/trip or fall broken down by Local Authority during 2007/08p
Local Authority	Kind Group				Total
	Slip or trip	High fall	Low fall	Fall - height not known
Bedford Borough Council	95	2	9	2	108
Mid Bedfordshire District Council	48	1	9	-	58
South Bedfordshire District Council	71	-	5	1	77
Luton Unitary Authority	100	3	14	3	120
Cambridge City Council	100	6	16	4	126
East Cambridgeshire District Council	23	-	21	2	46
Fenland District Council	79	1	10	-	90
Huntingdonshire District Council	103	2	15	1	121
South Cambridgeshire District Council	40	1	9	1	51
Peterborough Unitary Authority	159	3	17	3	182
Basildon District Council	112	-	11	5	128
Braintree District Council	65	2	8	-	75
Brentwood District Council	43	1	2	-	46
Castle Point Borough Council	30	-	1	-	31
Chelmsford Borough Council	104	2	9	1	116
Colchester Borough Council	106	4	22	2	134
Epping Forest District Council	60	-	7	1	68
Harlow District Council	70	-	2	1	73
Maldon District Council	19	-	2	-	21
Rochford District Council	23	-	7	-	30
Tendring District Council	58	1	5	3	67
Uttlesford District Council	46	3	8	2	59
Southend-on-Sea Unitary Authority	68	2	10	-	80
Thurrock Unitary Authority	128	4	23	1	156
Broxbourne Borough of	46	2	7	-	55
Dacorum Borough Council	76	-	10	-	86
East Hertfordshire District Council	52	2	8	-	62
Hertsmere Borough Council	47	1	3	-	51
North Hertfordshire District Council	56	-	11	2	69
St Albans District Council Offices	59	-	6	1	66
Stevenage Borough Council	54	-	2	1	57
Three Rivers District Council	31	-	2	1	34
Watford Council	58	1	4	-	63
Welwyn Hatfield District Council	72	5	15	2	94
Breckland Council	72	3	19	1	95
Broadland District Council	54	2	10	1	67
Great Yarmouth BC	58	-	10	1	69
North Norfolk District Council	45	1	7	2	55
Norwich City of	95	3	11	1	110
South Norfolk District Council	51	-	9	2	62
Kings Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council of	88	2	17	1	108
Babergh District Council	40	-	9	-	49
Forest Heath District Council	39	2	13	3	57
Ipswich Borough Council	72	2	16	-	90
Mid Suffolk District Council	42	-	5	2	49
St Edmundsbury Borough of	79	4	12	-	95
Suffolk Coastal District Council	74	3	23	2	102
Waveney D C	58	2	10	3	73

Press enquiries

Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.

Issued on behalf of the Health & Safety Executive by COI News & PR East.