Slips, Trips, and Falls - Workplace Prevention

Key takeaways

• Slips, trips and falls are the single-largest cause of workplace accidents. In 2023/24 they accounted for 31% of non-fatal injuries*
• All employers should assess the risk of slips, trips and falls in the workplace, to ensure the safety of employees, visitors, contractors, and other persons
• Common causes include floors that are uneven, unsuitably covered or wet, steps and slopes, cables, lighting and inadequate housekeeping
• Compensation awards, fines and other costs can be substantial, whereas the solutions to prevent are often simple with minimal costs

Slips, trips and falls

This article explores the causes of STF's, the associated liabilities, business insurance and how to create a safer working environment through risk assessment, prevention strategies, training, and proper safety practices.

Slips and trips can also result in other types of serious accidents, such as falls from height and, whilst a limited number are fatal, many are significant and lead to prolonged and in some cases permanent disablement. Slips and trips are one of the leading causes of injuries at work, and for each (nonfatal) case an average of 8.8 working days are lost. *

Common causes in the workplace

Costs and liabilities

Whereas business can be held accountable by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with enforcement action, fines and penalties. Not to mention the civil liability claims for compensation that can be brought against the business. This can result in expensive legal costs and damages awarded to the claimant. 

It's worth noting that individuals such as senior managers or directors can have a personal liability in the event of a serious incident which causes injury or harm to one of their employees, contractors, or members of the public.

Legal and regulatory considerations

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – Requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of their employees
• The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 – Mandates a number of different requirements for workplaces to adhere
• RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) – Requires employers to report serious incidents

Risk assessment

Preventing STFs starts with identifying potential hazards with a risk assessment and should form part of your overall risk management plan. The risk assessment should consider the risks in the workplace, to ensure the safety of employees, visitors, contractors, and other persons. The result helps you understand what sensible precautions are required to control the hazards in your workplace.

Preventing slip hazards

• Use drip trays when working with liquids to prevent spilling; use lids and fill-lines on containers, and put up screens to stop splashes and overspray when using hoses.
• Clean after hours to minimise slip risks from wet floors. If this isn’t possible, restrict access to the area. Require non-slip footwear appropriate for the work activities and other hazards present.
• Install floors that are made of materials designed to reduce slipping and only use cleaning equipment designed for that material, so you don’t wear down the anti-slip quality.
• Use the right cleaning materials for the type of floor, put up wet floor signs and let floors air dry or use a dry mop to speed up drying time.
• Clean up spills immediately – if a chemical is spilled (that you can’t handle), get someone qualified to sort it as soon as possible.
• Use anti-slip tape, mats, covers, and grating to prevent any area from becoming slippery and posing a risk to workers and visitors, particularly around entrances, exits and stairways.
• Ensure in colder seasons paths are well lit, cleared of leaves, snow, and ice regularly, and have good drainage.

Preventing trip hazards

• Avoid single steps and sudden changes in floor level when designing premises, but if that’s not possible, clearly highlight them with signage.
• Ensure there are numerous plug sockets, so cables don’t need to be trailed across the floor
• Plug in equipment as close to where it needs to be as possible. For stationary equipment, if trailing cables can’t be avoided, use cable tidies and cover strips.
• Carpeting and other flooring materials should be installed properly so there are no bumps or areas that are not level.
• Report areas where mats, carpeting or lino/laminate has worn down and become uneven or has edges that are starting to curl or fray.
• Keep equipment in suitable storage spaces, clear obstacles away from walkways and stairways, and dispose of/recycle rubbish on the premises.
• Organise work activities so that there isn’t any rushing or overcrowding, ensure employees know how to use equipment safely, and restrict access to areas where temporary trailing cables are unavoidable.
• Make sure that employees use proper manual handling techniques and that manual handling activities are organised to ensure safety. A person carrying a load may not see an obstacle and could seriously injure themselves by tripping over it and/or dropping the load as they fall.
• Install good artificial lighting where there might not be enough natural lighting that allows people to see and avoid hazards on the ground.

Employee training

• How to report hazards or spills immediately
• Safe walking practices and use of handrails
• Wearing appropriate footwear for the environment
• Avoiding shortcuts or unsafe behaviours
• Regular briefings can help reinforce the message

Risk transfer

Insurance provides an effective means to transfer the potential high financial costs associated with STF risks. However, risk assessment, mitigation strategies and employee training should always be used in conjunction. It's worth noting that if you are required to claim on your business insurance, it will mean increased premiums over the longer term. Below we identified the key products to transfer STF risks:

• Public liability insurance - will cover legal costs and awards made in the event of compensation claims made by third parties for injury arising from STF's
• Employers liability insurance - will cover legal costs and awards in the event of compensation claims made from employee injury arising from STF's
• Directors and officers insurance - (including corporate legal liability) will cover legal costs, regulatory investigations, fines, and compensation claims made against the directors (and corporate manslaughter allegations)

Subcontractors

If you outsource building management, maintenance, or cleaning to subcontractors. It's important to ensure they have adequate insurance protections in place. If an accident were to occur and the subcontractor was at fault, you would prefer the matter to be dealt with by their covers. If they don't have adequate protections in place to meet compensation awards, you may find yourself vicariously liable for their actions.

After a slip, trip or fall has occurred

• When an incident occurs, it is important to act fast and secure evidence. There are rigid timescales for dealing injury claims. Prompt reporting to your insurers will keep costs to a minimum.
• After any accident or near miss it is important to gather all relevant information. This can include photos and CCTV footage. This helps to understand how and why the incident occurred. Make sure you record all incidents in the accident book.
• As well as the accident report, collect all relevant documents such as, risk assessment, witness evidence, training records, PPE records, photos, CCTV footage etc. This will assist insurers when dealing with your claim.
• Don’t be afraid to say sorry or to offer someone a gesture of good will. This is not an admission of liability and could help you carry favour with any resulting litigation from the injured party.

Written by Simon Taylor

Simon Taylor is a respected senior industry professional and a Chartered Insurance Broker with over 20 years’ of experience in the commercial insurance sector as an underwriter, broker and director.