What You Can Do
Preventing slips and trips in the workplace is often simple and cost-effective. Assessing the risks should identify what needs to be done:
Appropriate flooring
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Most flooring in the workplace is chosen for its appearance rather than its suitability for the work environment. Smooth flooring can become a major hazard when a few drops of water are added. Providing a rough or slip-resistance floor can prevent countless slip accidents.
Slip-resistant information provided by flooring manufacturers cannot always be relied on. Most flooring changes significantly over time with general wear and tear.
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- Test the slip resistance of the floor once it is installed to ensure that it is adequate for the work environment
- Routinely check floors for loose finishes, holes and cracks
- Use drainage and gratings in high risk areas
- Use mats in high risk areas making sure that all mats are of suitable slip-resistance and are not curled at the edges
Housekeeping, cleaning and maintenance
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Well managed cleaning and maintenance regimes help to control slip and trip hazards in the workplace. To keep on top of your regimes:
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- Assess likely sources of contamination, for example, water, grease/oil, powder or food and determine how contamination can be prevented
- Follow all wet cleaning of floor surfaces with a dry wipe to remove any surface moisture that could cause a slip
- Consider undertaking cleaning and maintenance work only when there are no members of the public or staff in the building
Effective training and supervision
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Employers must provide suitable training to their staff regarding any hazards associated with work. This must include the identification of slip or trip hazards and any measures required to avoid accidents. This should include training on the:
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- Importance of quickly dealing with or reporting spillages and other contamination on floor surfaces
- Reporting housekeeping and maintenance issues to management
- Use of hazard warning signage as appropriate
- Importance of drying floors effectively after cleaning
- Safe use of cleaning chemicals
All staff including agency contractors, should also be adequately supervised.
Suitable footwear
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Where the risk of injury cannot be avoided by other means, consider the use of suitable slip resistance footwear. The provision by employers of non-slip safety shoes has been proven to reduce the level of slip accidents amongst employees. Where it is not possible to provide slip resistant footwear, the employer should ensure that the footwear worn by employees is suitable for the work environment.
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