Preventing Slips And Falls In The Workplace & Minimising Employee Workplace Injury

Employees also have a duty not to put themselves or others in danger in the work environment and must use any safety equipment. Under current legislation, employees are also responsible for ensuring management is aware of any personal conditions that may increase their risks of slips and trips in the workplace.

Consequences for the individual who trips and falls in the workplace may include:

• Workplace injury
• Reduced quality of life
• Worry and stress
• Time off work/financial impact

Consequences for the employer for an employee who trips and falls in the workplace can include:

Insured costs (injury, ill health, damage)

• Operational cost.
• Production delays.
• Overtime working.
• Temporary labour and training.
• Investigation time.
• Fines.
• Damage to reputation and image.

Slips and falls in the workplace can significantly impact a business; each year, falls at work result in an estimated 1.5 million working days lost.

(Based on a three-year-pooled average from 2011/12 to 2013/14)

All employers are responsible for reducing slips, trips and falls in the workplace:

The first step (forgive the pun) is undertaking a risk assessment.

1. Look for hazards that may lead to slips and trips in the workplace, such as uneven floors, trailing cables and sometimes slippery areas due to spillages. Ensure that this includes outdoor areas.
2. Determine who might get harmed and who enters the workplace. Are those entering the workplace at risk of a workplace injury? Do you have any control over them? Remember that older employees and people with disabilities may be at particular risk.
3. Consider the risks! Are the precautions already taken adequately dealing with the risks?
4. Record your findings if you have five or more employees.
5. Review the assessment regularly. If any significant changes occur, ensure that existing precautions and management arrangements are still adequate to deal with the risks of falls at work.

RIDDOR statistics for 2020/2021 show that 33% of falls at work happen on the same level resulting from slips and trips in the workplace. They are one of the most common entries in the Accident Book and are reportable under RIDDOR.

Slips and trips in the workplace occur with too little friction or traction between the footwear and the walking surface. Common slip hazards that are likely to cause an accident at work leading to falling injuries include:

• Wet or oily surfaces.
• Unsuitable floor coverings.
• Occasional spills.
• Weather hazards.
• Loose, un-anchored rugs or mats.
• Flooring or other walking surfaces that do not have the same degree of traction in all areas.

Fall injuries in the workplace occur when your foot/feet collide (strikes, hits) with an object, causing a loss of balance and eventually tripping and falling. Common tripping hazards causing workers to suffer from workplace health issues and injuries include:

• Obstructed view.
• Poor lighting.
• Clutter in your way.
• Wrinkled carpeting.
• Uncovered cables.
• Bottom drawers not being closed.
• Uneven (steps, thresholds) walking surfaces.

Preventing slips, trips, and falls in the workplace can be achieved by following some basic procedures and commonsense guidelines to avoid any employee workplace injury. Falls at work result from some unintended or unexpected change in the contact between the feet and the ground or walking surface. This shows that good housekeeping, quality of walking surfaces (flooring), selection of proper footwear, and appropriate walking pace are critical for preventing slips and trips at work.

Good housekeeping and risk assessment is the first and the most important (fundamental) stage in reducing risk and preventing slips and trips at work that could lead to a fall or an employee injury. Employer responsibilities should be taken extremely seriously. These responsibilities include but are not limited to these common slip examples:

• Cleaning all wet spills immediately to avoid falls at work.
• Marking spills and wet areas.
• Mopping or sweeping debris from floors.
• Removing obstacles from walkways and always keeping them free of clutter.
• Securing (tacking, taping, etc.) mats, rugs and carpets that do not lay flat.
• Always close file cabinets or storage drawers.
• Covering cables that cross walkways.
• Keeping working areas and walkways well-lit to prevent falls at work.
• Replacing used light bulbs and faulty switches.

With poor housekeeping practices and an environment full of workplace health risks, any other measures to prevent workplace injury, such as installing sophisticated flooring, suitable footwear or training on walking techniques, and safe falling from avoiding accidents in the workplace, will never be fully effective.

For effective slip and fall prevention in the workplace, you must carefully consider the work area access, exits and entrances, and stairs. Obstructions and objects lying around can easily go unnoticed and cause a slip or trip hazard. The employer should have procedures to keep floors and work areas tidy and free from trip hazards to prevent slips and falls. If obstacles cannot be removed, warn people using signs or barriers.