Educate Slips, Trips and Falls Slips, trips and falls (STF) account for as much as 30% of workplace injuries each year. It has also been reported that approx. 6.3 million working days were lost last year due to non-fatal workplace injuries. These injuries cost employers around £500 million each year. These are noteworthy statistics, however, research from the HSE shows that duty holders tend to see STF’s as rare events and give them low priority. Why is this, and how do we challenge, and change this attitude? It might be worth noting here that these statistics are not entirely accurate, as slips, trips and falls are 3 completely different things and should not really be grouped. However, the numbers still stand, and there is still room for a lot of improvement within our workplaces.
Legislation There are 3 key pieces of legislation when it comes to STF’s in the workplace. The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 –states that employers, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure the health, safety and well-being of employees at work as well as non-employees such as contractors and the general public. It also states that employees themselves have a duty of care to take reasonable care for their own health and safety.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (Reg 3) – states that every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of (a) the risks to the health and safety of their employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work; and (b) the risks to the health and safety of persons not in their employment arising out of, or in connection with, the conduct by them of their undertaking. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (Reg 12) – states that every floor in a workplace and the surface of every traffic route in a workplace shall be of a construction such that the floor or surface of the traffic route is suitable for the purpose for which it is used.
What Are The Causes? STF’s can happen anywhere, in any workplace at any time, so it’s imperative to have an understanding of what the cause can be and how we can reduce this risk. STF’s can be caused by a wide variety of different factors such as; • • • • • •
Contamination (spills, leaks and splashes), Cleaning (wet floors, trailing cables), People (human factors), Flooring (co-efficient of friction, damages), Environment – (weather, noise), Footwear (sole tread pattern and compound).
8
10
