SG31:15
Management of Slips and Trips
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this guide is to eliminate or reduce the risk of injury from slips and trips by providing advice
and guidance to all persons involved in organising, planning, managing or undertaking work in scaffolding
related activities.
Slips and trips on the same level have been identified, through the confederation's annual safety report, as
the most common cause of injury at work in the scaffolding industry. They can occur in almost all workplaces
and may result in serious accidents, including broken bones. Slips and trips can also be the initial cause of a
range of other accident types such as falls from height.
2. KEY MESSAGES ABOUT SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS
The potential for serious injury from slips and trips cannot be overestimated. Such incidents can have
critical consequences and long-term effects. Workersʼ compensation insurance covers only a small
proportion of the costs. It does not account for indirect costs, such as:
• the time to process and manage the injury
• increased workloads for other staff to perform the injured personʼs work
• loss of expertise and necessary skills and additional training for replacement staff
• decreased productivity
• the human aspect of pain and suffering.
HSE 2012 / 2013 statistics1 show slips and trips is the single most common cause of RIDDOR Reportable
injury in UK workplaces totaling 23,600:
• 8,416 slips and trips major injuries each year;
• 36% of all slips and trips major injuries;
• 15,184 over 7 days slips and trips injuries;
• 64% of all over 7 days slips and trips injuries.
1 The NASC wishes to thank the HSE for the use of their guidance document/website in the preparation of this NASC Guidance.
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Figure 1 & 2 – Typical pictures of cluttered walkways, uneven scaffold boards, trailing electrical leads etc.
Typic
3. RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
There are many ways in which workplace design and environment can contribute to slip and trip hazards.
There is plenty of scope for designing and maintaining the workplace in a way that will eliminate, or at least
greatly reduce, the chances of someone having a slip and trip accident on the same level.
Follow the general risk management procedure, using these steps:
• Identify hazards likely to cause slips and trips on the same level; by examining the premises and the
work;
• Assess the risks these hazards create by working out how serious the problems are and how often the
problems might occur;
• Eliminate or control the risks by making changes to protect people;
• Monitor and review.
NOTE: Risk Management will not only include construction sites, but will also include the risks of slips, trips
and falls in your yard and offices (more information regarding the risks involved in office premises can be
found in the Reference section).
This general approach will provide guidance on how to deal with slip or trip incidents on the same level. The
risk assessment process should give you the opportunity to identify other hazards. Please also refer to NASC
Guidance: SG7 Risk Assessments & Method Statements.
NOTE: Where there are unresolved issues with the clientʼs management of housekeeping, the NASC
recommends that the risks of not managing slips, trips and falls is immediately brought to the clientʼs attention
at Director level.
4. IDENTIFY WORKPLACE HAZARDS
Every workplace needs to be examined so that all potential causes of slips and trips hazards on the same
level are identified. To assist in determining exactly where slips and trips on the same level are likely to
happen, there are three easy steps to follow.
4.1 Consult with employees. Employers have a legal obligation to consult with employees when going
through the steps of this process.
4.2 Inspect the premises. Checklists may be helpful in identifying the sources of typical hazards. A slip and
trip on the same level checklist for a specific workplace can be developed. Start by making a list of the
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locations of concern. For each location, record anything that could be high risk. Ask employees for their
input when preparing the checklist, as they will know about any potential risks from their experience of
doing the task. Helpful information will be in records of previous risk assessments.
Pay particular attention to the following:
• scaffold access yard housekeeping;
• scaffold structures i.e. excess material, tools, equipment;
• security of scaffold boards;
• floors and grounds;
• housekeeping and cleanliness;
• cleaning and maintenance methods;
• stairs, ramps, sloping surfaces;
• walkways, lighting;
• tasks being undertaken;
• footwear.
High-risk areas are:
• where scaffold lifts / floors can become wet or oily;
• where external grounds are slippery or are uneven;
• sloping surfaces;
• work areas where lifting and carrying tasks (and some other manual handling tasks such as pushing and
pulling) are performed;
• any area where the pace of work causes people to walk quickly or run;
• high pedestrian traffic areas;
• where there are constant changes to workplace conditions such as building sites;
• unfamiliar locations such as patient or client homes;
• accident locations that have not been secured and cleaned up;
• unlit walkways / work areas.
Figure 3 & 4. Loose material, insecure wooden frames, trailing cables etc.
4.3 Check records including incident and injury reports, near miss reports, workersʼ compensation claims,
and workplace inspection checklists.
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5. RISK ASSESSMENT
Having identified any potential hazards, the risks arising from them should be assessed. Risk assessment
involves determining the likelihood of an incident occurring, and the level of harm that could result. There is
not likely to be any single cause for a slip or trip incident on the same level, and therefore each potential
hazard needs to be assessed.
It is important to set a priority for the elimination of hazards. For example, the provision of good slip resistant
footwear alone is not sufficient protection against slipping on smooth floors coated with oil or grease. The first
priority should be to avoid the spills. If this proves to be impractical, suitable slip resistant flooring should be
installed. Good footwear is also part of the solution. The most serious risks need to be dealt with first, i.e.
hierarchy: PPE is always a last resort.
The risk assessment should provide detailed evidence about what contributes or could contribute to incidents
involving slips and trips on the same level.
6. ELIMINATING OR CONTROLLING THE RISKS
Once a risk assessment has been completed, there are a number of ways to control the hazard. The table
below identifies common hazards that are known causes of injury. Characteristics that make that hazard
potentially dangerous are also identified. Eliminating the hazard is the preferred option as it removes all risk
of injury. If this is not possible, then the hazard can be controlled to reduce the likelihood of injury in most
cases, by simple, cost-effective strategies.
Introducing engineering alternatives, such as applying a non-slip coating to a slippery floor, or an
administrative measure such as a maintenance / tidy up as you go policy or training strategy, may be a
viable option. If all other solutions have been considered and are not practicable, then the provision of
personal protective equipment, such as slip resistant footwear may be necessary to reduce the risk of injury
posed by the hazard.
7. SUMMARY
The causes of slips and trips in the workplace are sometimes ignored on construction sites because the
issues do not always indicate an instant dramatic incident or injury on site. We must all actively look to
prevent the serious incidents in our workplace where someone could be exposed to a life threatening
accident.
What we fail to see, in most cases, is that the cause and effect from someone slipping or tripping could lead
to more serious conditions where someone may be exposed to a life threatening accident.
By eliminating unsafe conditions in the workplace that lead to slips and trips, we will all help to stop
someone harming themself or a fellow site worker. Everybody can help to break the links in the accident
chain of a more serious incident by removing the hazards associated with slips and trips.
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Common Hazards Considerations Potential Control Measures
Ground condition / Type / condition Appropriate selection for prescribed work activity
working platform Monitoring, inspection / maintenance policy
Gaps, lapped / Signage, securing clips
loose boards
Trap ends Suitable transoms / boards secured as appropriate
Spillage / excess Maintenance / housekeeping policy
material Clear as you go behaviour
Exclusion zones
Review of work practices
Material Handling Uneven ground, Manual handling awareness
distance Unload / load material close to task
Stairs Design/gradient Handrails/ramps, staircase to be considered as first
choice
Lighting
Obstacles Obstruction to Storage facilities/workplace design
common walkways Clear / clean workplace policy
Systematic / regular housekeeping
Uneven surfaces Change in surface Warning signs
texture/gradient Handrails
Outdoor paving/car Define walkways
parks Allowance for weather conditions
Lighting
Office / crew cabin Broken Maintenance policy
furniture Inappropriate use Provide stable steps for climbing
Weather Conditions Entrance ways, car Maintenance policy
parks, pathways Inspection policy as appropriate
Gritting
Ice, humidity, rain Warning signs
Maintenance protocol
Footwear Slips, penetration Slip resistant sole material with a good tread pattern,
wounds rounded heel edge with good area of contact and a
cushioned sole
Ankle support i.e. laced safety boots not Rigger Style
A close but comfortable fit relevant to the tasks
i.e. safety boot, toe protectors etc.
Table 1 – Suggested control measures
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8. REFERENCES, LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE
Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974;
HSE Information Sheet: Slips and trips: The importance of floor cleaning
HSE Technical Information Sheet: GEIS2 Accessing the slip resistance of flooring
HSE Guidance: INDG225 Preventing slips and trips at work
HSE Website: <http://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/>;
HSE Website: <http://www.hse.gov.uk/watchyourstep/about.htm>;
HSE Website: <http://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/campaign.htm>;
NASC Guidance: SG7 Risk Assessments & Method Statement;
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999;
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
See also:
• geis2 Assessing the slip resistance of flooring (HSE Guidance)
• indg225 Preventing slips, trips and falls at work
• slips02 Slips, trips and falls HSE Information Sheet
Whilst every effort has been made to provide reliable and accurate information, we would welcome any corrections to information provided by the Writer which
may not be entirely accurate, therefore and for this reason, the NASC or indeed the Writer, cannot accept responsibility for any misinformation posted.
NASC NASC, 4TH FLOOR, 12 BRIDEWELL PLACE, LONDON EC4V 6AP
TEL: 020 7822 7400 FAX: 020 7822 7401
[email protected] www.nasc.org.uk
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