According to the latest statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), slips, trips or falls on the same level were rated the most common accident type for employees in Great Britain, accounting for 30% of all non-fatal workplace injuries.

As an employer, taking steps to minimise the risk of slips and trips in-house is a vital part of upholding workplace safety standards. Discover our top tips for minimising the risk of slips and trips at work.

Keep walkways clear

One of the most common causes of trips in the workplace are walkway obstructions, making the first step to lower risk rather easy and affordable.

Putting procedures in place to prevent tripping is simple. The HSE states three areas to target to close the ‘Trip Potential Triangle’ – walkways, housekeeping, and design and maintenance. Walkways should be suitable for use, whilst the wider environment should be correctly designed and maintained for consistent safety.

Adopting a ‘see it, sort it’ policy in-house will ensure everyone is responsible for clearing walkways of obstructions, making housekeeping a company-wide focus that keeps each individual safe.

Educate your employees

Maintaining a high standard of workplace safety is in the best interests of everyone, so don’t be afraid to get your employees involved.

In addition to adopting the ‘see it, sort it’ policy company-wide, educating employees on appropriate work footwear, how to handle spillages, and how to negotiate the work environment in a safer, more risk-averse manner is recommended.

Continue the clean up

Slips can also be easily prevented with some regular, timely housekeeping. Maintaining floors and other surfaces so they remain clean and dry should be a priority. With this in mind, spillages, leaks, overflow and run-off should all be identified and remedied quickly to minimise slip hazards.

Recognising the risk caused by other environmental issues (such as rainwater, cold weather and condensation) is another must for preventing slips and trips. During and after cleaning, access should be restricted to the affected area with visible warning signs and/or barriers effectively utilised. The right cleaning techniques, tools and products should also be used.

Light the way

Ensure all work areas are correctly illuminated so slip and trip hazards can be identified easily and remedied or avoided appropriately. When it comes to lighting, striking the right balance is crucial.

Too much light can result in glare that impairs visibility, whilst too little will prevent individuals from spotting potential hazards.

Give your employees the right workplace safety training by enlisting your trainers on one of our courses.