Introduction

Slips, trips and falls account for the vast majority of incidents reported to the Health and Safety Enforcing Authorities. They can occur anywhere for seemingly any number of reasons. A whole range of factors and issues contribute to each slip or trip incident; an area seemingly risk free one day can be a real problem the next. Factors that contribute to each incident include the floor surface, the environment, the footwear in use, contamination, obstacles and obstructions, the cleaning regime and the person involved.

Sometimes the cause of a slip or trip is obvious, e.g. tripping over a damaged carpet on a staircase or slipping on a patch of wet floor during cleaning. But in other cases the lack of friction between the shoe sole and the floor surface may be entirely to blame. Friction between shoe and floor (technically – the coefficient of friction) can be reduced by the presence of fine almost invisible contamination and by dampness.

Other common causes are:

• Hazardous storage of tools and equipment during maintenance works.
• Spills and splashes of liquids (oil, detergents).
• Ingress of rain under doors or carried in by pedestrians.
• Leaking roofs.
• The use of unsuitable floor cleaning methods, increasing the likelihood of slips occurring.
• Inadequate drying of floor surfaces with no signs warning people in the vicinity.
• Changes in floor levels.
• Inadequate lighting.
• Poorly maintained floors and pavements.

Legal Duties

Legislation requires that floors and stairs should have no dangerous bumps, holes or slopes, be stable and not slippery. They must be maintained and kept clean.

Employers are also required to keep traffic routes through the workplace clear and free from obstruction for both people and vehicles.

Control Measures

Floor surface

The floor must be suitable for the work activity taking place on it. Where the floor cannot be kept dry, people should be able use it without fear of slipping despite the contamination on it. So it should have sufficient roughness. A floor surface must be cleaned correctly to ensure that the original roughness is maintained. Polishing a floor can, in some cases, reduce the original surface roughness, and make a ‘safe’ floor very slippery.

Floors must always be fitted properly to ensure there are no tripping hazards and that any recommended surface coatings are applied. Once laid, floors must be maintained in good order to ensure that there are no trip hazards e.g. holes, uneven surfaces, or curled up carpet edges. If possible ramps, raised platforms and other changes of level should be avoided.  Where they are necessary their presence should be highlighted e.g. by a change of colour in the floor covering.

Stairs should always be well it and have:

• High visibility, non slip, square nosings on the front edge.
• A suitable handrail.
• Steps of equal height.
• Steps of equal width.

All new stairs should conform to current Building Regulations.

The environment

The risk of slips and trips can be increased by environmental issues which need to be taken into consideration. Equally these environmental issues, lighting (natural or otherwise), loud or unfamiliar noises, the weather, humidity, condensation etc. can be used to help prevent slips and trips.

Examples of the impact of environmental issues on slips and trips include:

• Too much light on a shiny floor will cause glare and stop people seeing hazards on the floor and stairs.
• Too little light prevents people seeing hazards on the floor and stairs.
• Unfamiliar and loud noises may be distracting.
• Rainwater ingress onto a smooth surface inside or outside a building may create a slip hazard. Good entrance design (e.g. canopies) can help.
• Cold weather can cause frost and ice to form where water has accumulated creating slippery surfaces.
• In autumn leaves falling onto footpaths and roadways become slippery.
• During the winter rain, ice and snow will increase the risk of slips and falls.
• Condensation may make a smooth floor slippery.

Footwear

For work situations where floors are mainly clean and dry and the employer has some control over footwear, a policy of requiring sensible footwear can help reduce risks. In this case sensible means flat, with a sensible heel, with the sole and heel made in a soft material that provides some grip.  But where the employer has no control over footwear, in a shop, hotel, leisure centre etc. it is vitally important to ensure that smooth floors are kept clean and dry.

In work situations where floors can’t be kept dry or clean e.g. food preparation, the correct choice of footwear will be important; a slip resistant shoe may be required. If a slip resistant shoe policy is introduced, the footwear will be considered to be personal protective equipment in which case it will have to be provided free of charge.

Choosing the most suitable slip-resistant footwear for a particular environment and work activity can be difficult. Descriptions of slip-resistance given in brochures range from ‘improved grip performance’ to ‘excellent multi-directional slip-resistance’, but rarely describe the working environments for which the footwear is, or is not, suitable.  Slip-resistant industrial footwear will normally have been laboratory tested for slip-resistance according to European Standards.

The best advice to employers is – do not select footwear simply based on brochure descriptions or laboratory test results. Footwear that claims ‘slip-resistance’ may not perform well in your working environment. It is recommended that employers should always undertake a footwear trial before buying stock for the entire workforce. Experience has shown that the following issues will influence the final choice:

• Footwear will perform differently in different situations; e.g. footwear that performs well in wet conditions might not be suitable where there are food spillages.
• A good tread pattern is essential on fluid-contaminated surfaces. The pattern is characterised by, among other things, leading edges in all directions to sweep away the fluid leaving dry contact under the cleats.
• Sole tread patterns should not become clogged with waste or debris on the floor. If they do then that design of sole is unsuitable for the situation.
• Sole material type and hardness are key factors; caution is needed in making generalisations and testing is always recommended.

Remember that slip resistant properties of footwear can and will change with wear; have a system of checking and replacing footwear before it becomes worn and dangerous. And footwear described as oil resistant does not mean slip resistant. Oil resistant means that the soles will noy be damaged by oil.

When choosing footwear it will also be necessary to take account of factors such as comfort, durability and any additional safety features required, such as steel mid-sole. The final choice may have to be a compromise.

Contamination

Most floors only become slippery after they become contaminated. Prevent contamination and you reduce or even eliminate the slip risk. Contamination can be anything that ends up on a floor e.g. rainwater, oil, grease, cardboard, product wrapping, dust etc. the list is endless. It can be a by-product of a work process or the result of adverse weather conditions. Remember, that when product ends up on the floor it is costing money!

Try to eliminate the problem by introducing different ways of working, by improving gutters and drainage or fitting canopies over doors to stop rainwater entering the building. Fixing leaking machines reduces contamination and improves the machine’s efficiency. Simple control measures can reduce the risks where the contamination cannot be eliminated; e.g. drip trays can contain leakages, large effective door mats can help contain the spread of rain water and other simple measures such as carrying drinks on a tray or fitting lids to containers can play a part in reducing contamination. Where contamination cannot be prevented the floor surface will need to be cleaned promptly and effectively.

Remember that if you rely on the floor to cope with contamination and remain non-slip you need to bear in mind that the thicker (more viscous) the contamination the rougher the floor needs to be for slips not to happen.

Obstacles and obstructions

Around half of all tripping accidents are caused by bad housekeeping. A large number of accidents could be eliminated simply by improving housekeeping. Some basic common sense measures could prevent many accidents, e.g:

• Ensure there is a suitable walkway through the workplace.
• Keep it clear, no trailing wires and no obstructions.
• Look at people’s workstations; are the floors tidy, do they have enough storage space?
• What about other rooms? Are they tidy, are goods suitably stored, and are there enough bins?

Good housekeeping doesn’t cost money; it just takes a little personal effort. Put things away each night. Don’t allow them to accumulate in corners, by desks, under stairs etc. Try to create a staff culture that is averse to clutter.

Cleaning

Every workplace needs to be cleaned. To ensure that is done properly effective training and supervision is essential. Cleaners need information and training. They need to know why cleaning regimes have been developed and why the cleaning needs to be undertaken in a particular way or at a particular time. Lack of understanding can lead to short cuts or changes made to the procedure in an attempt to do a better job.

The cleaning process can create slip and trip hazards, especially for those entering the area being cleaned. Smooth floors left damp by a mop are likely to be extremely slippery and trailing wires from a vacuum or buffing machine can present a trip hazard.

An effective cleaning regime requires a good management system to help identify problem areas, to act on decisions made and check that the system has been implemented and is effective. Good communications are needed at all levels; between managers and the workforce, between equipment and chemical suppliers to ensure suitability of product for the type of contaminant and floor.

Contamination is implicated in many slip accidents. Regular and effective cleaning to remove contamination helps reduce accidents. The top tips for cleaning are:

• Use the right amount of the correct cleaning product.
• Detergent needs time to work on greasy floors.
• Cleaning equipment will only be effective if it is well maintained.
• Spot clean where possible.

People often slip on floors that have been left wet after cleaning. Stop pedestrian access to smooth wet floors by using barriers, locking doors, or cleaning one section at a time, or clean outside of normal working hours. Signs and cones only warn of a hazard, they do not prevent people from entering the area. If a spill is not visible it is usually ignored. Remember-

• A dry mop or squeegee will reduce floor-drying time but whilst the floor is damp there will be a slip risk.
• A well-wrung mop will leave a thin film of water that is enough to create a slip risk on a smooth floor.

People

The physical attributes of workers can have a bearing on accidents caused by slips and trips. If an individual worker has a health problem that affects their eyesight or balance they may be at greater risk of slipping on wet or damp floors or tripping over obstructions than others.

Human behaviour in the workplace also has an impact on slips and trips. Where workers have a quality ethos or a ‘See it, sort it!’ mentality this can reduce the risk of slip and trips accidents. They will, for example, deal with a spillage or move an obstruction instead of waiting for someone else to deal with it. Similarly, a positive attitude to health and safety generated

through toolbox talks and safety briefings can make a difference. In the long run simple things like wearing sensible shoes, rather than high heels, in a low risk office, and not rushing about while talking on a mobile phone will contribute to accident reduction.

Supervision

None of the measures mentioned above will have much effect unless managers and supervisors actively ensure that the correct sensible measures and controls are introduced and used in practice.

Supervisors must ensure that cleaning regimes are in place and a planned schedule is followed to maintain good, general housekeeping standards. Liquid leaks from a process or poor maintenance of equipment should be kept to a minimum. Prompt management of spillage is necessary. Records of cleaning and maintenance should be kept.

Accidents in relation to slips, trips and falls should be closely monitored to encourage the development and implementation of preventative strategies. Assessments should be continually reviewed especially following incidents (and at least annually) to ensure that necessary changes are implemented.

Further information and guidance on any of the issues associated with slips, trips and falls or the advice contained in this guidance note is available from our 24 Hour Advice Service.