How to Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls at Work

Preventing slips and trips at work should be a top priority for business owners today. Regardless of the industry you work in, you’ll want to ensure that none of your employees trip over while working under your watch. Today we’re going to share some of our top tips which will help you to prevent slips and falls in your workplace, all of which can easily be applied to any industry. Your first step should always be to equip your employees with the suitable uniform and footwear from Active Workwear, which will keep them safe and sound each day at work. 

Avoiding Slips in the Workplace 

Slips are generally caused by wet surfaces in your working environment, but these can come about for a wide variety of reasons. While rain may be a big issue in outdoor workplaces, spills can also cause slips inside. The number one way to minimise the chance of slips occurring is to provide your team with Portwest safety boots, which will offer a slip-resistant sole to avoid your team ending up on the floor when walking on wet surfaces. On top of using Portwest boots, follow these top tips to avoid slipping over during your working day: 

• Walk slowly on wet surfaces, and always keep your eyes on the floor ahead of you. 
• If you do have to walk on wet surfaces, make sure you take very slow steps. Your feet should be pointed out slightly, and you’ll want to place more of your weight on the balls of your feet. 
• Keep your workplace clean and tidy at all times. Don’t allow grease and water to build up on the floor, and ensure warning signs are always put out when the floor has been recently cleaned. 
• Put a spillage reporting policy in place in your workplace. Empower your employees to always report spills, no matter how small they may seem. 

Preventing Falls at Work 

While you may associate falls with working at height, they can happen in any type of building and at any time of the day. Keep these points in mind to avoid falls occurring in your workplace: 

• Choose non-slip shoes to avoid anyone slipping and then falling down stairs at your workplace. 
• HSE slips, trips and falls suggest always keeping your passageways clear and tidy and minimising the clutter around your workplace. 
• Put markings in place at the edges of your platforms or openings in your floors. 
• Ensure your team use stairs instead of jumping between platforms. Always have two points of contact when using the stairs. 
• Keep handrails in good condition to avoid future slips, trips and falls at work. 

Stopping Trips in the Workplace 

When completing your slips, trips and falls risk assessment, you’ll want to consider the ways in which you can stop trips taking place. While these are often a complete accident, you’ll want to do everything you can to prevent these from occurring under your watch: 

• Keep your building clean and tidy so that there are fewer trip hazards present for your employees. 
• When walking around, encourage your employees to always look where they are going. Stop looking down at your phone and look where you are going instead. 
• Ensure you offer adequate lighting for your employees, especially if they are working during the night. If you can, avoid having team members working early in the morning or late at night where possible. 
• Place your furniture in a way that it’s easy for your employees to walk around the office without tripping over anything. 
• Make sure there’s no loose carpet or cables on the floor of your building, as these are some of the most common causes of trips. 
• Create clear walking paths for your team members and mark these out with appropriate signage, so they are followed by everyone, such as from your entryway, which uses a wireless intercom system, to the entry of your building. 
• If there are any obstructions present in your workplace, put up signs so that everyone knows they are there. 

When it comes to preventing slips, trips and falls at work, ensure you are completing your slips, trips and falls risk assessment as required by your local government and regulating bodies. You’ll find that by reflecting on the potential risks in your workplace, you’ll have an increased chance of reducing these incidents from occurring in the first place. Slips and falls are a huge concern for business owners in all industries today, but they can be reduced by following basic safety rules and training your team when they start working in a new building. You’ll want to make sure you offer your team the appropriate shoes and clothing to work each day safely and reduce the chances of them slipping on any wet or uneven surfaces you may have.