Slips, trips and falls are by far the most common health and safety incidents that occur in UK workplaces. They can happen in any environment and to any person, and can cause serious injury and distress to the person affected. If the right measures aren’t taken to prevent trips and falls, such incidents may even result in a company having to pay injured employees compensation.
There are many ways that slips, trips and falls can be prevented. As an employer, it is your responsibility to do everything you can to protect your workers from injury. These steps can help:
• Ensure spillages are cleaned up immediately
• Place signage warning of the hazard when a spillage occurs, or in wet weather
• Use entrance matting
• Ensure that cleaning methods are effective and suitable for the floor surfaces you have
• Make sure lighting is sufficient in all areas, particularly around stairs and steps
• Keep walkways free of obstructions at all times
• In areas which cannot be kept completely dry, consider implementing a new footwear policy to prevent workers from slipping
• Send employees on health and safety training courses to help them spot obstacles and hazards, and use common sense to avoid slips, trips and falls at work
However, employees also have a role to play in preventing slips, trips and falls. See part 2 of this guide for the steps workers can take to make themselves and their workplaces safer.