1. Safety Hour Discussion Pack
Topic: Reducing slips, trips and falls through better task risk management
Purpose of the discussion:
Every single one of us is important to making the railway run. In the first six periods of 2017/18 we have seen a 20% increase in RIDDOR Specified Injuries (broken limbs, concussion etc.). This is unacceptable and no one should get hurt when we come to work. We must take steps to address it. Slips, Trips and Falls are not ‘just one of those things’. Awareness and action is required to reduce the number of these injuries that are occurring.
All teams should now be working in accordance with the Planning and Delivering Safe Work standard, which includes the ‘Person in Charge’ role, and a ‘Safe Work Pack’, which should include details on site and task risks. The purpose of this safety hour session is for us to explore, learn and agree how we deliver our work, stay safe and reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls.
Discussion points: Use below to plan your facilitated discussion. Remember, you don’t have to have all the answers – the role of the facilitator is to create an engaging discussion where everyone identifies and commits to solutions.
Discussion points
Supporting notes
How do you view slips, trips and falls?
This is to open up the discussion and get your team to explore how they view slips trips and falls, the following questions may help you to open up the discussion.
What is the opinion around STFs in your team/area/unit and what is your opinion?
They are not serious injuries
Just embarrassing
How much planning and preparation goes into preventing slips, trips and falls where you work?
Are these measures effective?
What kind of factors on your site might pose the biggest threat to STFs?
Using a recent SWP or today’s SWP, ask your team to identify the different types of risks that they may face that could cause a slip trip or fall. For example:
Weather
Lighting/visibility
Conditions on the ground
Site tidiness
Planning (enough time, enough resource, appropriate access)
The shorter, darker days and bad weather as we enter autumn and winter could affect some people’s concentration levels, and in some cases their mental wellbeing
Are attitudes and behaviours a potential cause? (Do we ignore this because others didn’t tidy up when they left site last time?)

2. Safety Hour Discussion Pack
Topic: Reducing slips, trips and falls through better task risk management
Discussion points
Supporting notes
How would you expect to be briefed on these risks?
Has the Person in charge identified what risks exist on site and verified this information is in the pack prior to the work starting, making sure it is properly briefed and understood by the team?
Do you get briefed on what tools, equipment, safety measures (other mitigations) are in place to stop STFs, i.e. safe walking routes, correctly worn boots etc.?
If a risk you were aware of wasn’t included in the brief what would you do?
Are those being briefed allowed to ask questions and challenge?
What do you do if the pack doesn’t include risks?
Do you feel confident enough to challenge at the time?
How do you report back?
Does the Safe Work Pack make it clearer to see the STF risks for the job ahead?
Has the Safe Work Pack covered STFs in the task risks?
Do the Person in Charge or Responsible Manager brief these out at the beginning of shift?
Is the information specific enough. i.e. does it take into consideration factors such as current weather, activity, access and conditions relevant to the site? Or are they just generic?
Are the risks sensibly prioritised?
Is the PIC the same person who planned the job? If not then have they had time to make themselves comfortable to sign off the pack?
Is the PIC knowledgeable about the area being worked in?
Is the PIC stretched too thin to discharge duties?

3. Safety Hour Discussion Pack
Topic: Reducing slips, trips and falls through better task risk management
Discussion points
Supporting notes
What do you think would make a difference to reduce STFs?
Open discussion with your team to look at ideas from the team to reduce slips trips and falls. You can support this by asking the following questions if required:
How can we get sites to be tidy?
Could we just stack materials out of the way for collection later?
Would mechanical devices help?
How can we use tools / equipment in depot, vans to aid in reducing STF?
Do we wear our PPE so it helps reduce STF?
Do we have ankle support boots with laces done up?
Do we do our PPE up so it doesn’t catch on items?
What else should we do?
How many accidents are caused by people walking whilst using their phone or not paying enough attention to what they’re doing?
Is there an enhancement to the SWP that could be created to enable extra information?
What role can you play?
(Commitments and Actions)
As a result of the safety hour session what commitments does each individual attending have to reduce slips trips and falls in their workplace?
Go around the group and asked them what they going to do differently as a result of this session, action plan anything that needs to be escalated or worked on.