Local broker advice to reduce slips and trips - the most common cause of injuries at work

28th October 2021

Chartered insurance broker IFM based in Sheffield is urging local businesses to take preventative measures against slips and trips taking place in the workplace, particularly as more people return to work on site following the pandemic.

Local broker advice to reduce slips and trips - the most common cause of injuries at work

Chartered insurance broker IFM based in Sheffield is urging local businesses to take preventative measures against slips and trips taking place in the workplace, particularly as more people return to work on site following the pandemic.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), slips and trips are the most common cause of injury in the workplace. On average, they cause over a third of all major injuries and can lead to other types of accidents, such as falls from height or falls into machinery.  So its vital for firms to ensure their place of work is safe for employees be it an office, factory, shop or manufacturing plant.

Jamie Harvey, a Director at IFM Insurance said: “Whilst a slip or trip incident may appear trivial, the claims that result can be considerable.  However firms can help mitigate the risk by undertaking a simple risk assessment.  This means taking sensible measures to control the risks in your workplace, for example using doormats to stop rainwater being tracked in and making the floor slippery.”

IFM Top Tips

• Introduce a workplace inspection regime to ensure slips and trips hazards are identified and remedied quickly.
• Carry out weekly workplace inspections on slip and trip hazards and train the person who carries out the inspection on what standard to accept.
• Train staff on slip and trip prevention and train cleaning staff on suitable cleaning techniques. Keep detailed records of these training sessions.  
• Ensure that there are records made each time the cleaning process takes place.
• Get to the scene of an accident quickly, take photographs, take statements and keep a note of all persons who witnessed the slip or trip incident and also those colleagues of the claimant who were not working in the area at the time of the claim.