Slips, Trips and Falls at Work

Slips and trips are the single most common cause of injuries at work, accounting for over one third of all major injuries reported each year.  As well as the obvious human cost, slips and trips cost employers over £512 million a year in lost production and other costs.

Employers have to be covered by Employers Liability Insurance where they employ staff.  It is a legal requirement for any business that employs at least one member of staff – except in a very few examples.

What Causes Slips and Trips?

The main factors that can contribute to a slip or trip are:

  • Flooring and stairs
  • Contamination – i.e. anything that ends up on a floor making it slippery. 
  • Obstacles – tripping hazards such as trailing electrical cables. 
  • Cleaning – spillages as well as the actual cleaning process itself
  • Human factors - how people act and behave in their workplace can affect slips and trips.
  • Environment – e.g. too much light, too little light, loud or unfamiliar noises, the weather, condensation
  • Footwear

The Law

As an employer, you are legally required to ensure the health and safety of all employees and anyone who may be affected by their activities.  This includes taking steps to control slip and trip risks.  You also have a legal duty to assess the risks – including slip and trip risks - to employees and others who may be affected by their work e.g. customers and members of the public and, where necessary, take steps to safeguard health and safety.  Further, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 requires floors to be suitable, in good condition and free from obstructions.

Preventing Slips and Trips at Work

Anyone at work, but particularly employers, can help to reduce slip and trip hazards through good health and safety arrangements.  A good management system will help you to identify problem areas, decide what to do, act on decisions made and check that the steps taken have been effective. 

For slip and trip risks to be adequately controlled, you need to carry out regular risk assessments and ensure that your safety measures are adequate to deal with the risks faced by your business.

To get more information about how to prevent slips and trips at work, go to the Health and Safety Executive’s website.

Don’t slip up on your business insurance or liability insurance – contact your chosen Cherrypicked broker to find out more about the range of comprehensive and competitive insurance products on offer that can be tailored to your business needs.

Last reviewed 7/11/2011

Source: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0.  © Crown Copyright Health and Safety Executive

To talk to an expert in your area and get a quote, contact your local insurance broker.