Health and Safety Executive Watch your step Controlling slips and trips risks at work See it, sort it

2 Slips and trips are funny Slips and trips accidents are often used in cartoons and videos to raise a laugh, but ask a victim if they’re funny.

3 Youth slipped and put hand into deep-fat fryer - no joking matter Source: Dudley MBC

4 Not a joking matter Reported injuries to employees in GB premises (2003/4): – 11,269 majors (37% of total Major Injuries) – 30,499 Over-3-days (24% of total over-3- days) Injuries can be severe: – 90% of majors are fractures

5 Costs of slips and trips in GB To the individual – Lost income, pain, reduced quality of life To employers over £500m p.a. – Damages, admin. and insurance, lost production, temporary absences To society over £800m p.a. – Loss of potential output, medical costs, social security.

6 HSE Strategic Delivery Programme (Fit3) Slips and Trips Programme Plan 2005 –2008 – PSA Major Injury (MI) reduction target - 3% by 2008 – S&T Programme MI reduction target - 5.1% by i.e. 575 fewer S&T MI accidents.

7 The food sector19% reduction in major injury accidents over 6 years Key reference guide: HS(G)156

8 Slips and Trips Programme Plan The main messages Slips and trips aren’t funny! They should be treated seriously and in proportion to the injuries and losses that they cause. Simple sensible solutions can eliminate most of the problems, but Personal responsibility and worker participation are essential to make solutions effective

9 What law? Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW Act) Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992 (Workplace Regs.) Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (Management Regs.) Construction Health Safety and Welfare Regulations 1996 (Construction HSW Regs)

10 Management Regulations Employers to assess the risks (including slips & trips risks) to employees and others who may be affected by their work or business To enable identification of the measures they need to take to comply with health & safety law

11 What contributes to the slip/ trip risk?

12 What is risk assessment? Systematic and careful examination of things (at work) which could cause harm to people Evaluation of whether the controls in place are sufficient to prevent harm

13 Risk assessment - the 5 steps 1.Identify the hazards 2.Decide who may be harmed 3.Evaluate the risks and decide if the existing precautions are adequate 4.Record the significant findings 5.Review the assessment periodically

14 The most important bit… Take remedial action when the controls are insufficient to prevent harm It’s the ACTION as a result of the risk assessment process that matters

15 Workplace (H,S,W) Regulations Floors/traffic routes: To be of a construction that is suitable for purpose To have no hole or slope, or be uneven or slippery so as to expose any person to a risk to their safety To have effective drainage where necessary These requirements for floor construction are all ‘ABSOLUTE’.

16 Workplace Regs. cont. So far as reasonably practicable, floors/traffic routes to be kept free from obstructions and substances likely to cause a person to slip, trip or fall Staircases to be provided with suitable and sufficient handrails Waste materials not allowed to accumulate, except in suitable receptacles

17 Slip hazards Leaks, spills and splashes of liquids & solids Wet processes Unsuitable floors Unsuitable footwear for floor Rain, mud Unsuitable entrance matting Sloping surfaces Wet floors following cleaning

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20 Risk controls (a) floor contamination Contamination from work activities/ environment controlled Process plant controlled and maintained Spillages cleaned up Correct cleaning regime From both liquids and solids

21 Don’t forget… The Workplace Regs. Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) – Processes & plant which discharge or leak liquids should be enclosed – If a leak or spillage is likely to cause a slipping hazard immediate steps should be taken to treat it

22 Containing spillages from machines

23 Use of signs and barriers

24 Risk controls (b) suitable floors and footwear  Floors not slippery  Appropriate use of:  Mats  Anti-slip treatments/ coatings  Drainage  Grids, gratings, duckboards etc.  Required footwear slip-resistant

25 Good design of steps

26 Role of slip-resistant footwear Have a ‘sensible shoe’ policy If needed as PPE, employer to provide Challenge the supplier to provide the right shoe for your floor/ contaminant See HSG156 – food guidance Consider sole material, tread pattern>>>

27 Features of slip-resistant soles (source: SATRA 1997)

28 Assessing slipperiness Accident history – “eg slip/ trip incident map” Observation/ questioning – S&T occur often but only 1 in 40 result in serious problems – so evidence should be easy to spot. Smooth floors – measure surface micro- roughness – ie like writing paper NOT sandpaper Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (CoF)

29 Measuring coefficient of friction – pendulum method Produces correct fluid dynamics Realistic CoF readings in wet and dry See ‘The assessment of pedestrian slip risk – the HSE approach’ – slips and trips 1 - on

30 Pendulum in action – dry CoF reading

31 Extract from UKSRG 2005

32 Minimum levels of surface roughness to prevent slips – from FIS 22...

33 The slips assessment tool (SAT) Software-based. Operator feeds in: Surface roughness readings Floor type Contamination type/ amount/ source/ recurrence Footwear type Cleaning regime/ frequency Persons using floor Environmental factors System give slip risk factor 0-40+

34 Risk controls (c) prevention of trips Floors even, free from holes or slopes; Gangways well-planned and marked; Access routes kept clear Stairs well-constructed, with handrails Good lighting

35 Common trip hazards Loose floor and scaffold boards / tiles Loose and worn mats / carpets Accumulated waste materials Electrical & telephone socket outlets Trailing cables, pallets, tools, etc. in gangways

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43 Factors increasing the risk of slips and trips Moving goods – carrying, pushing, pulling Rushing about Distractions / fatigue

44 HSE research Testing different floorings for slipperiness in the wet Slipperiness test methods development Testing slip-resistant footwear The role of human factors in slips and trips accidents

45 Managing slips and trips : having a good system Planning – Key risk areas and goals Organisation – Involvement and responsibilities Control – Checks, records Monitor and Review – Accident and inspection reports

46 Managing slips and trips contd./ Simple measures can give quick returns. Some pointers: Ensure S & T included in risk assessment Prompt reporting and follow-up of leaks Operate a ‘clean as you go’ policy Allocate responsibilities for cleaning up Get workforce ‘buy in’ to these Consider a campaign to reduce S & T>>>>

47 Requirements for a successful campaign Backing from the top Good preparation and communication Workforce involvement and commitment, eg in: – Preparing briefing materials – Risk assessments – Accident/ near miss investigations Targets/ monitoring Perseverance

48 Further advice and guidance Workplace health, safety and welfare – ACOP and guidance L24 Slips and trips – guidance for employers on identifying hazards and controlling risks HSG155 Preventing slips and trips at work INDG 225 rev1 (free leaflet) HSE free information sheets: Food nos. 6 and 22, Catering no. 6, Education no. 2, Health Services no. 2, Slips and trips – the importance of floor cleaning – slips and trips 2 HSE Stop Slips video See

49 Summary Slips and trips are NOT a trivial matter Risks need to be actively managed Include S & T specifically in risk assessment Involve the workforce Solutions can be cheap and simple, but must…. Maintain standards through…. Monitoring, audit, review