Case studies

The case studies in this section are all based on real incidents in the workplace with real consequences for the people involved.

Latest case studies

• Leading energy company tackles slips and trips
• Famous UK biscuit company looks at ways to reduce slips and trip incidents in the workplace

Kitchen related accidents

• Council reduces slip accidents amongst catering staff
• Restaurant trips up after ignoring housekeeping advice
• Chef slips and suffers severe arm burns from hot oil
• Risk of slips reduced in school canteen
• Pub-restaurant chain's choice of kitchen floor surface
• Fast food employee flash fries her arm in 360°F oil following slip
• Serious burn injuries lead to serious fine for fast food restaurant!

Contamination and spillages

• Serious burn injuries lead to serious fine for fast food restaurant
• Fractured skull from a “wholly preventable” catering slip
• Supermarket prosecution for leaking chiller cabinet
• Tackling slips in a further education establishment
• Containing spillages at a manufacturing bakery
• Oily floors in engineering workshop
• Slipping on dust in machinery workshop

Housekeeping and cleaning regimes

• Hospital improves floor cleaning after a slip
• Trip risk warnings ignored!
• Company changes cleaning methods following accident investigation
• Carpet company fails to maintain their own carpets!
• Poor housekeeping causes trip accident
• Why more shopping centre slips in the middle of the day?
• Improving cleaning at a manufacturing bakery

Effective matting systems

• Slippery store entrance in wet weather - supermarket entrance matting

Choice of suitable footwear

• Oil company protects ankles AND guards against slips
• Pet food company reduces slip accidents after introducing new footwear
• Logical approach cuts slips & trips by two thirds at food processor
• Temporary staff miss out on anti slip footwear
• Footwear choices at a manufacturing bakery
• Slip risks on a supermarket's smooth floor - sensible long and short-term action

Design of workplace and work activities

• Supermarket fined after worker slipped in hot oil
• Japanese 5S management system
• Ice build up in cold store costs time and money - frozen food factory
• An error in pedestrian flow management
• Designing safety into buildings

Maintenance of plant and the work environment

• Trip risk warnings ignored!
• Holed walkway went unrepaired for months before injuring a health service worker
• Leaking machinery causes persistent pool of water in commercial kitchen
• Worn out stairs carpet causes serious fall - yet still goes unrepaired
• Ice not a problem for Prison

Specification of appropriate flooring

• Supermarket fined after ignoring advice about fitting a particular type of floor tiles
• Local Authorities weather proof their new reception area
• Company prosecuted after driver breaks his ankle after slipping near a diesel  pump (added May 09)
• Caution ! Wet paint
• Fractured skull from a “wholly preventable” catering slip
• Pub-restaurant chain's choice of kitchen floor surface
• Ramped walkways at railway station
• College fits the right floor surfaces in the right places
• Designing safety into buildings
• Fast food restaurant owners ponder options
• Slipping on dust in machinery workshop

Effective training and supervision

• Find out how STEP is used in Vocational Training
• Inadequate training leads to serious slip accident

Working together to solve the problem

• Logical approach cuts slips & trips by two thirds at food processor
• Japanese 5S management system
• Management, workers and equipment suppliers collaborate on tackling slips

Human cost

• Young woman loses leg after two slip accidents