Health and Safety Executive

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Accident statistics for slips and trips

The following table outlines the slip and trip accident statistics for education:

Table 1 - Slip and trip injury statistics for education 2005/06
  Major injuries Over 3 day Total
Employees Employees
Total 571 786 1357
Primary & Secondary 261 289 550
Higher & Further 222 369 591
Adult and other 94 128 222

When trying to decide how to prevent accidents, the following table may be of use as it provides some detail as to where on the premises accidents are happening.

Table 2 – where the accidents are happening 2004/05
Further and Higher Education
Number of slip and trip major injuries to employees, by process
Walking, running elsewhere on premises or outside 98
Climbing/descending up/from equipment (e.g. vehicles, stairs) 55
Teaching activities (in classroom, workshop, lab etc.) 39
Walking/running in car parks 19
Entering/leaving building/premises 12
Amenities – use of canteens for eating 9
Cleaning of internal building 9
Gymnasium, indoor sport, tenpin bowling 6
Food preparation for immediate consumption 5
Primary, Nursery and Secondary Education
Number of slip and trip major injuries to employees, by process
Walking, running elsewhere on premises or outside 80
Teaching activities (in classroom, workshop, lab etc.) 44
Climbing/descending up/from equipment (e.g. vehicles, stairs) 33
Walking/running in car parks 15
Playground activities 15
Inside and outside sports 15
Cleaning of internal building 14
Food preparation for immediate consumption 9
Entering/leaving building/premises 7
Amenities – use of canteens for eating 5

The next table would be of use to schools, colleges, universities etc when planning awareness raising activities, as it outlines the occupations most at risk.

Table 3 – who the accidents are happening to – 2004/05
Occupation No. of slip trip major injuries
Teaching n.e.c 91
Education assistants 61
Cleaners, domestics 46
Secondary education teaching professional 36
Primary & nursery education teaching professional 33
General office assistants, school secretaries and personal assistants 30
Chefs, cooks & kitchen and catering assistants 29
Higher education teaching professionals 25
Care takers 18
School midday assistants 14
Further education teaching professionals 8
Laboratory technicians 6
Researchers n.e.c. 6

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2010-09-24