Slips, trips and falls prevention - WorkSafe Queensland · Introduction Each year more than 13,000...

Slips, trips and falls prevention

A little slip at work can have a big impact on your life.

A publication of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

Office of Industrial Relations Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

“I was drilling on the factory floor. I tripped on the extension cord and did my back in. I’ll be out of

action for weeks. Not just at work, but at home too.”

Introduction Each year more than 13,000 Queensland workers suffer an injury as a result of a slip, trip or fall costing Queensland businesses more than 256,000 lost work days and over $60 million in workers’ compensation payments.1

In addition to workers’ compensation costs, there are financial, physical and emotional costs for the injured worker and their family. A workplace injury often affects injured workers’ well being by restricting their usual home and leisure activities.

Simple and cost effective measures can reduce the number and severity of these injuries. This booklet aims to provide you with a basic understanding of what causes a slip or trip and provide you with some ideas on what you can do to stop these incidents occurring.

Slips, trips and fallsSlips, trips and falls can happen in any workplace. They can occur at the entry of a building, in the kitchen, in cold rooms, on loading docks and even as you walk outside the building.

More serious slips or trips together with the resulting falls may result in:• sprains or strains• broken bones when trying to break the fall• a back injury due to the sudden and forceful impact during a fall• burns if it occurs near hot surfaces or if the person is handling hot fluids• cuts if it occurs near sharp objects.

Causes of slip, trips and falls

There are various factors that contribute to the risk of slips and trips. Slips usually occur when there is a loss of grip between the shoe and the floor. This commonly occurs when there is a contaminant between the shoe and the floor. Trips occur when a person’s foot hits a low obstacle in the person’s path, causing a loss of balance. Often, the obstacle is not easily visible or noticed.

The following factors can contribute to the risk of slips and trips. It is usually a combination of these factors that create the risk of a slip or trip.

Contaminants

Contaminants can be considered as anything that ends up on a floor. Contaminants can be wet such as water, oil or grease, or dry such as dust, metal shavings, plastic bags or off-cuts. Preventing floor contaminants is one of the best things you can do to prevent slips.

Floor surfaces

Floor surfaces require sufficient grip to prevent slipping, especially in areas which may become wet or contaminated. The greater the thickness or viscosity of the contaminants, the greater the slip resistance of the flooring required to protect against slipping.

1 Associated payments include compensation payments ($38.3M), goods and services payments ($18.4M) and non-compensation

payments ($4.3M). Source: Queensland Employee Injury Database as at August 2007, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

Slips, trips and falls prevention 1

Cleaning

Cleaning affects every workplace and everyone in the workplace. Besides regular cleaning programs, everyone has a role keeping the work area clear and taking responsibility for their own spills.

Floors need to be cleaned properly to ensure that: • contaminants are effectively removed• a build up of cleaning product residue is avoided• the floor does not become too slippery• floors maintain slip resistant properties (of non-slip flooring).

Prompt attention to spills is also important in order to prevent slips.

Obstacles and other trip hazards

Trips most often occur because of uneven flooring or cluttered walkways with low obstacles which are not easily visible or noticed. Common examples of low obstacles include trailing cables, uneven edges to flooring, gratings or covers, loose mats or carpet tiles and changes of floor surface level.

Trips can be prevented by:• good housekeeping practices• ensuring the floor surface is in good order such as being free from holes, uneven surfaces, curled

up linoleum or carpet edges• avoiding any changes in floor surface level, or if this is not possible, highlighting these changes• providing adequate storage facilities.

Environment, including lighting

Poor lighting and distractions such as unfamiliar or unexpected loud noises, or extreme environmental conditions, such as extreme cold or heat, can impact a person noticing slip or trip hazards in their path. Adequate light levels without glare or shadowing is required to highlight potential slip or trip hazards. Other distractions, like those mentioned, should be minimised as much as possible.

People and activity

Work activities, the way the work is organised and attitudes to safety can affect the worker’s ability to see or think about where they are going. For example, people hurrying, carrying large objects, pushing high trolleys or talking on a mobile phone could contribute to the cause of a slip or trip.

Workers need to be able to maintain their balance when performing tasks and be able to recover if they slip or trip. For example, when handling loads, workers should have full view of where they need to travel and should also have a free hand to hold onto a rail when walking down steps.

Consideration should be given to:• individuals physical attributes such as vision, balance and agility• the work being carried out and how it is organised• who will be walking through the area, including the public.

2 Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

Footwear

Footwear plays an important role in reducing the risk of slips, trips and falls. Footwear should be: • suitable for the type of work and work environment • comfortable with an adequate non-slip sole and appropriate tread pattern• checked regularly to ensure treads are not worn away or clogged with contaminants.

Leads here, there and everywhere – Case StudyA worker carrying a box tripped and fell over an electrical lead that ran across the walkway in a manufacturing workshop. During the fall he hit his head and shoulder on the corner of a piece of equipment. He sustained a serious shoulder injury which required major surgery. The company was prosecuted and received a fine of $25,000. The injured worker was off work for three months and could not be replaced for this period due to a skilled labour shortage.

An inspection of the work area showed that:• electrical leads for equipment used near the walkway often ran across the walkway• lighting in the workshop was poor so he could not clearly see the electrical lead• workers often carried bulky items along the walkway, which obstructed their view of the

floor.

This incident could have been prevented by:• positioning power outlets nearer to the point of use, to eliminate leads trailing across the

walkway• providing adequate lighting in the workshop for safe movement and to highlight

obstructions on the floor reducing the size of the load being carried or providing mechanical aids, such as trolleys so that bulky items can be moved around the workshop without obstructing the workers vision.


Slippery kitchen floor – Case StudyTowards the end of a shift in a commercial kitchen, a worker slipped and fell sustaining serious burns after coming in contact with a tub of hot water. The tub of water was used for cleaning the floor at the end of the night. It was positioned beside the walkway near the deep fryer where in the same area several floor tiles were missing. This hollowed area allowed pooling of water and oil which was tracked throughout the kitchen. The kitchen floor was properly cleaned once at the end of the night. Workers were advised to wear enclosed shoes, however no advice was provided regarding the type of non-slip sole that should be worn.

The workplace was prosecuted and received a fine of $17,500. The injured worker was off work for two months and the workplace had to recruit and train a new employee to fill in for this period.

This incident could have been prevented by:• replacing the missing tiles to stop contaminants pooling on the floor• installing splash guards on the deep fryer to prevent oil splashing onto the floor• placing covers over the deep fryer when it was not in use to prevent workers coming into

contact with the hot oil• putting in place spills management procedures so that spills are immediately attended to • increasing the frequency of cleaning to minimise contaminants on the floor • implementing a suitable footwear policy so that all workers wear shoes that have a non-slip

sole.

How to manage slips, trips and falls risksThe simplest way of preventing slips, trips and falls injuries in your workplace is to develop a risk management plan which identifies, assesses, controls and monitors safety hazards and risks. The following information, together with the slips, trips and falls risk management tool and worksheet at the back of this booklet, will help you develop a risk management plan and record your assessments.

Identify hazards

Identifying hazards is the first step to determine exactly where slips, trips and falls can or have occurred in your workplace. You can find out this information by talking to workers and supervisors, inspecting the premises, and reviewing records such as incident and injury reports as well as workers’ compensation claims.

Another useful method is to sketch a layout of the work area and mark on it where slip and trip incidents or hazards have been reported.

Assess the risk

The next step is to assess the slip or trip risks. Usually it is a combination of factors that create the risk. Consider the risk assessment questions in the right hand column of the risk management tool to assist in determining the level of risk. The red and amber section of the risk management tool can be helpful to determine the level of risk.


As part of your assessment you should also consider:• how many people are exposed• the consequences of the slip or trip – a slip or trip with or without a fall can be more serious if it

occurs near hot, sharp or moving objects, or at a height, such as near stairs• how often the situation occurs.

Fix the problem

Look at the assessed risks and decide what needs to be done to eliminate or reduce the risks and how quickly these measures need to be implemented. There are six types of control strategies to eliminate or reduce the risks and they are listed below in order of their effectiveness.

Hierarchy of controls Examples

Eliminate the hazard Remove slip and trip hazards at the design stage such as eliminating changes in floor levels; installing more power outlets through the floor and ceiling to avoid trailing cords.

Substitution Resurface floors.

Isolation Limit access to high risk areas.

Minimise risk by redesign (engineering means)

Apply floor treatments to increase slip resistance; improve lighting; stop leaks from equipment or pipes; provide adequate drainage to prevent pooling of contaminants; clearly mark edges of steps and any changes in floor height.

Administrative controls Implement good housekeeping practices such as clear access ways; prompt spills management; use of signage or barricades for wet or slippery areas; training and supervision.

Personal protective equipment

Wear suitable footwear.

Look at all the options available to you and select controls that will best reduce the risks. Commonly, a range of controls may be needed.

If you are having trouble deciding what suitable controls are then read the green section of the slips, trips and falls risk management tool at the back of this booklet for some helpful ideas. Then write down these controls on the risk management worksheet.

If possible, trial the preferred control options before putting them into practice permanently.

Develop work procedures to formalise the controls, communicate with workers the reason for the change, and provide training and supervision for all staff.

Monitor and review controls

It is important to check whether the controls in place are effective, being used correctly, and have not introduced new hazards or risks. This can be done by talking with your workers, observing work activities, undertaking walk through surveys and reviewing incident and hazard reports.


Other things to consider

Other issues that you need to address in your risk management plan include design, maintenance, consultation, training and record keeping.

Design

Prevention of slips, trips and falls starts with good design of the workplace. When fitting out new premises/extensions or refurbishing the workplace, incorporate features to prevent slips and trips. This is detailed in the green section of the risk management tool.

When commissioning or purchasing new equipment, as well as ensuring that it is safe, ensure it provides adequate containment of any possible by-product such as off-cuts, grease, and dust.

Maintenance

This is fundamental to ensure that control measures remain effective. For slips and trips prevention:• maintain the condition of floor and ground surfaces, stairs and ramps• maintain machinery to prevent leaks• ensure there is adequate lighting • ensure workers wear suitable footwear to provide adequate grip.

Consultation

Before changes are made to facilities and processes, or equipment is purchased, talk to workers in the work area about the changes.

Training

All staff should have good understanding of slips, trips and falls hazards and how they can play their part in preventing them. For example, train staff in the risks and control strategies that have been implemented, including relevant procedures for cleaning and hazard reporting.

Record keeping

Record all areas assessed and actions taken through the slips, trips and falls risk management worksheet, specifications of plant and work processes, incident reports and actions undertaken, maintenance records of equipment and tools, and records of training activities.


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YES

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Inte

rnal

floo

r su

rfac

e an

d co

ndit

ion

- Sl

ip re

sist

ance

of fl

oori

ng to

o lo

w o

r pat

chy

for e

xpec

ted

use,

and

type

and

am

ount

of

cont

amin

ants

.

- A

ged

floor

ing

wit

h re

duce

d sl

ip re

sist

ance

. -

Une

ven

floor

sur

face

s (e

.g. w

orn

floor

cov

erin

gs,

brok

en ti

les,

mis

sing

or d

amag

ed g

rate

s or

cov

ers)

.-

Poor

ly m

aint

aine

d ac

cess

way

s (e

.g. l

oose

car

pet

tile

s).

- U

neve

n flo

or h

eigh

ts (e

.g. h

eigh

t diff

eren

ce

betw

een

load

ing

dock

and

floo

r of t

ruck

, gap

be

twee

n lo

adin

g do

ck a

nd tr

uck)

. -

Unm

arke

d ed

ges

(e.g

. end

of l

oadi

ng d

ock)

.-

Slip

pery

met

al s

urfa

ces

(e.g

. loa

ding

doc

k pl

ates

, w

alkw

ays,

gra

tes

or c

over

s).

- Su

dden

cha

nges

in fl

oor

surf

aces

(e.g

. fro

m ti

les

to

carp

et).

- Co

atin

g an

d ta

pes

part

ially

w

orn

away

.-

Min

or c

hang

es in

leve

l.-

Isol

ated

low

ste

p.

- Te

xtur

ed fl

oors

and

slip

-res

ista

nt s

urfa

ces

are

appr

opri

ate

for t

he w

ork

perf

orm

ed.

- Ex

isti

ng fl

oors

trea

ted

to im

prov

e sl

ip re

sist

ance

(e

.g. a

cid

etch

ing,

san

dbla

stin

g, g

rind

ing

and

groo

ving

).-

Floo

ring

is le

vel a

nd u

nbro

ken.

- W

elde

d jo

ins

in fl

oori

ng.

- M

inim

um s

udde

n ch

ange

s in

floo

r sur

face

text

ure.

- Ch

ange

s in

floo

r lev

el h

ighl

ight

ed w

ith

high

vi

sibi

lity

edgi

ng.

- D

oes

the

floor

sur

face

ha

ve e

noug

h sl

ip

resi

stan

ce to

pro

tect

ag

ains

t slip

ping

w

ith

expe

cted

co

ntam

inan

ts?

- A

re tr

ippi

ng h

azar

ds

elim

inat

ed?

Exte

rnal

gro

und

surf

ace

and

cond

itio

n, in

clud

ing

wor

kpla

ce a

cces

s an

d eg

ress

- U

neve

n gr

ound

sur

face

s or

pat

hway

s (e

.g. u

neve

n or

loos

e pa

ving

; foo

tpat

hs a

nd g

arde

n ed

ging

po

orly

mai

ntai

ned;

pot

hol

es; c

rack

ed a

nd u

neve

n co

ncre

te o

r bit

umen

; mis

sing

or d

amag

ed g

rate

s or

co

vers

).-

Surf

aces

that

are

slip

pery

whe

n w

et (e

.g. t

iles,

sm

ooth

con

cret

e, g

rate

s or

cov

ers)

.-

Slip

pery

sur

face

s (e

.g. m

etal

gra

tes

or c

over

s).

- M

inor

cha

nges

in le

vel.

- Tr

ee ro

ots

encr

oach

ing

on

path

.-

Mud

dy a

reas

.-

Wet

gra

ss.

- Cl

ear a

nd le

vel p

ath.

- A

cces

s w

ays

that

are

slip

resi

stan

t in

the

wet

or

shel

tere

d fr

om ra

in.

- G

roun

d su

rfac

es a

nd p

athw

ays

mai

ntai

ned

in g

ood

cond

itio

n.-

Gra

tes

or c

over

s ar

e in

goo

d co

ndit

ion

wit

h no

n-sl

ip s

urfa

ces.

- Sh

ort c

uts

acro

ss g

rass

ed o

r mud

dy a

reas

di

scou

rage

d.

- A

re p

aths

for a

cces

s an

d eg

ress

to th

e w

orkp

lace

cle

ar,

slip

resi

stan

t in

bad

wea

ther

and

wit

hout

tr

ip h

azar

ds?

Cont

amin

ants

- In

adeq

uate

ly d

rain

ed fl

oor s

urfa

ces

in w

et a

reas

(e

.g. t

oile

t/ba

thro

oms,

kit

chen

s, fo

od p

repa

rati

on

area

).-

Are

as th

at m

ay h

ave

fluid

or o

ther

con

tam

inan

ts o

n th

e flo

or (e

.g. f

ood

prep

arat

ion

area

s, p

arti

cula

rly

arou

nd s

inks

, dee

p fr

yers

, urn

s; s

uper

mar

ket

delic

ates

sens

; whe

reve

r foo

d an

d dr

ink

cons

umed

).-

Are

as w

here

leak

s ar

e co

mm

on (e

.g. o

il st

ains

in

unde

rcov

er c

oncr

ete

car-

park

).-

Oil,

wat

er a

nd o

ther

flui

d le

aks

from

mac

hine

ry,

wor

k pr

oces

ses

or s

tore

d co

ntai

ners

.-

Ice

on c

old

room

floo

rs.

- D

ry c

onta

min

ants

(e.g

. pow

ders

, gra

nule

s, s

war

f)

allo

wed

to b

uild

up

on fl

oor.

- D

ry li

tter

(e.g

. car

dboa

rd, p

last

ic w

rapp

ing)

left

on

the

floor

.

- W

et s

urfa

ces

near

ext

erna

l doo

rs w

here

traf

fic a

nd

wea

ther

bri

ngs

in ra

in w

ater

.-

Moi

stur

e an

d flu

ids

spill

s on

ext

erna

l pat

hway

s.

- Co

nden

sati

on o

n co

ld

room

floo

rs.

- M

achi

nery

not

regu

larl

y m

aint

aine

d fo

r lea

ks.

- G

row

th o

ver o

utsi

de

path

way

s (e

.g. m

oss

and

liche

ns).

- Le

af li

tter

.

- A

dequ

ate

drai

nage

wit

h gr

adua

ted

floor

to

drai

nage

poi

nts.

- D

eep

profi

le ti

les

to d

rain

flui

ds.

- En

sure

effi

cien

t dra

inag

e of

out

door

gro

und

surf

aces

.-

Goo

d de

sign

of c

old

room

s, m

achi

nery

and

pr

oces

ses

to e

limin

ate

or m

inim

ise

leak

or s

prea

d of

con

tam

inan

ts.

- Sl

ip-r

esis

tant

and

abs

orbe

nt fl

oori

ng o

r doo

r mat

s at

ent

ranc

es s

houl

d be

sec

ured

or l

arge

eno

ugh

to

rem

ain

in p

lace

.-

Cove

r at b

uild

ing

entr

y to

redu

ce ra

inw

ater

en

teri

ng.

- U

mbr

ella

s le

ft a

t ent

ranc

es in

con

tain

ers.

- Pr

oact

ive

mai

nten

ance

pro

gram

s to

det

ect a

nd

repa

ir s

igns

of l

eaks

.-

Keep

out

door

sur

face

s fr

ee o

f lea

ves,

mud

, cl

ippi

ngs,

pap

er a

nd g

rave

l and

rem

ove

mos

s or

sl

ime

wit

h a

chlo

rine

-bas

ed s

olut

ion.

- A

re w

ater

and

oth

er

cont

amin

ants

wel

l co

ntai

ned

to m

inim

ise

its

spre

ad o

nto

floor

s or

pat

hs?

Clea

ning

pr

oced

ures

- Co

ntam

inan

ts s

till

pres

ent a

fter

cle

anin

g.

- W

et c

lean

ing

or p

olis

hing

of fl

oors

dur

ing

wor

king

ho

urs.

- B

uild

up

of fl

oor p

olis

h on

the

floor

.-

Det

erge

nt re

sidu

e on

the

floor

.

- W

orke

rs w

alki

ng o

n re

cent

ly c

lean

ed b

ut w

et

floor

.

- Is

olat

ed c

lean

ing

area

from

ped

estr

ians

(e.g

. cl

eani

ng o

f floo

r sur

face

s ou

tsid

e w

orki

ng h

ours

or

excl

ude

pede

stri

ans

from

are

a ti

ll flo

ors

are

dry)

.-

Suit

able

cle

anin

g to

rem

ove

resi

due.

- St

aff t

rain

ed in

cle

anin

g pr

oced

ures

.-

Sign

age

to re

mov

e or

cau

tion

wor

kers

dur

ing

clea

ning

of fl

oors

.-

Clea

ning

pro

gram

in p

lace

to p

reve

nt b

uild

up

of

clea

ning

pro

duct

or r

esid

ue.

- Is

the

clea

ning

pra

ctic

e ef

fect

ive

in re

mov

ing

cont

amin

ants

and

doe

s no

t cre

ate

a sl

ip ri

sk?

- Ca

n cl

eani

ng b

e un

dert

aken

wit

h no

or

min

imal

ped

estr

ian

traf

fic in

the

area

? -

Is it

dry

bef

ore

pede

stri

ans

can

wal

k on

it?

Clea

nlin

ess

- U

ntid

y w

ork

area

s (t

ools

on

floor

, was

te o

r m

ater

ials

acc

umul

atin

g on

floo

r; s

tore

room

wit

h ra

w m

ater

ials

, rub

bish

, was

te o

verfl

owin

g).

- A

ccid

enta

l spi

lls le

ft u

natt

ende

d.

- D

ebri

s, o

ld le

aves

on

path

way

s.-

Haz

ardo

us w

arni

ng s

igns

and

pro

cedu

re fo

r im

med

iate

spi

lls m

anag

emen

t and

cle

an u

p.

- Pr

ovid

e en

ough

was

te b

ins

and

loca

te th

em c

lose

to

wor

k ar

ea.

- A

re c

lean

up

proc

edur

es e

ffec

tive

in

pro

mpt

ly m

anag

ing

spill

s an

d ke

epin

g flo

ors

and

path

s cl

ear

from

was

te m

ater

ial?

Hou

seke

epin

g/ob

stac

les

- St

orag

e of

equ

ipm

ent a

nd g

oods

in a

isle

s an

d w

alkw

ays.

- Lo

w o

bsta

cles

whe

re p

eopl

e ne

ed to

wal

k (t

raili

ng

exte

nsio

n co

rds;

em

pty

palle

ts; b

olts

or o

ther

it

ems

prot

rudi

ng fr

om fl

oor)

.

- Pe

dest

rian

wal

kway

s no

t wel

l defi

ned

(e.g

. op

en a

reas

use

d fo

r wor

k pr

oces

ses

and

pede

stri

an

acce

ss).

- U

nsui

tabl

e m

atti

ng s

uch

as

flatt

ened

car

dboa

rd b

oxes

.

- Cl

ear a

nd u

nobs

truc

ted

aisl

es a

nd w

alkw

ays

wit

h tr

ip h

azar

ds re

mov

ed.

- H

ighl

ight

fixe

d ob

stac

les

(e.g

. mar

ked

in b

righ

t ye

llow

).

- A

dequ

ate

stor

age

area

s fo

r goo

ds, t

rolle

ys a

nd

equi

pmen

t.

- Po

wer

out

lets

pos

itio

ned

to a

void

runn

ing

cord

s ac

ross

the

floor

.

- A

re th

e w

alkw

ays

thro

ugh

the

wor

kpla

ce

and

the

floor

s ne

ar

whe

re p

eopl

e w

ork

kept

cle

ar a

nd ti

dy?


Envi

ronm

ent /

light

ing

- Li

mit

ed v

isio

n on

sta

irs,

at c

hang

es o

f floo

r su

rfac

es o

r floo

r lev

els,

on

ram

ps a

nd w

alkw

ays.

- G

lare

on

wal

kway

s.-

Poor

ly li

t wor

k ar

eas

and

wal

k w

ays.

- Su

dden

cha

nges

in li

ghti

ng le

vels

bet

wee

n ar

eas

(e.g

. bet

wee

n ou

tdoo

rs a

nd a

dim

ly li

t sta

irw

ell,

or b

etw

een

outd

oors

and

load

ing

bay;

dis

trac

ting

sh

adow

s on

ste

ps, s

tair

s an

d w

alki

ng s

urfa

ces)

.

- Lo

w le

vel o

r obs

truc

ted

light

ing

and

shad

ows

arou

nd h

azar

ds (e

.g.

obje

cts

in w

alkw

ays,

un

even

floo

ring

).-

Incr

ease

d ri

sk w

hen

wor

king

in c

old

or h

eat

(e.g

. col

d ro

oms

or

free

zers

, hum

id c

ondi

tion

s su

ch a

s sm

oke

hous

e).

- A

dequ

ate

light

ing

for t

he w

ork

area

and

wor

k ta

sks.

- Cl

earl

y m

arke

d ai

sles

.-

App

ropr

iate

ligh

ting

and

vis

ual c

ues

on h

azar

d ar

eas

such

as

chan

ges

in fl

oor s

urfa

ce le

vel.

- A

dequ

ate

light

ing

for a

cces

s w

ays

incl

udin

g ni

ght

tim

e us

e.

- Pr

ovid

e gr

adua

ted

light

ing

betw

een

area

s.-

Repl

ace,

repa

ir o

r cle

an li

ghts

bef

ore

leve

ls

beco

me

too

low

for s

afe

wor

k.

- Is

the

light

ing

adeq

uate

to

cle

arly

see

the

path

of

trav

el a

nd s

lip a

nd

trip

haz

ards

? -

Are

dis

trac

tion

s in

the

area

min

imis

ed?

Stai

rs a

nd ra

mps

- In

appr

opri

atel

y de

sign

ed s

teps

and

sta

irs

(eg

stai

rs w

ith

inad

equa

te fo

ot s

pace

; var

iabl

e st

ep

heig

hts

in s

tair

case

; ste

ps w

ith

exce

ssiv

e ra

dius

on

nosi

ng).

- Ra

mps

that

are

too

stee

p or

wit

h sl

ippe

ry s

urfa

ce.

- Sm

all o

r mis

sing

land

ings

whe

re d

oors

ope

n di

rect

ly o

nto

stai

rs.

- St

ep e

dge

and

trea

d no

t obv

ious

.

- N

o or

inad

equa

te h

and

rails

.-

Poor

con

diti

on o

f ste

ps

and

stai

rs.

- Is

olat

ed lo

w s

teps

pa

rtic

ular

ly a

t doo

rway

s an

d co

ld ro

om e

ntra

nces

. -

Spee

d hu

mps

that

en

croa

ch o

n pe

dest

rian

w

alkw

ays.

- O

nly

use

stee

p st

airw

ays

for s

econ

dary

acc

ess,

and

en

sure

they

hav

e st

urdy

ha

ndra

ils o

n bo

th s

ides

.

- Ra

mps

and

sta

irs

desi

gned

to re

leva

nt s

tand

ards

.-

Ram

p su

rfac

e m

ade

slip

resi

stan

t wit

h fo

ot g

rips

or

text

ured

sur

face

.-

Stur

dy h

andr

ails

or g

uard

rails

on

all p

latf

orm

s,

step

s or

sta

irs.

- N

on-s

lip s

tair

trea

d.-

Clea

rly

mar

ked

and

non-

slip

ste

p ed

ges.

- A

dequ

ate

rails

on

ram

p to

pre

vent

trol

leys

runn

ing

off t

he e

dge.

-

Elim

inat

e is

olat

ed lo

w s

teps

if p

ract

ice.

- En

sure

isol

ated

low

ste

ps a

re h

ighl

ight

ed.

- N

on-s

lip tr

eads

.-

Hig

hlig

ht th

e st

art a

nd fi

nish

of r

amps

.-

Cov

ers

to e

limin

ate

wea

ther

con

diti

ons.

- A

re th

e st

airs

and

ra

mps

app

ropr

iate

ly

desi

gned

and

m

aint

aine

d in

goo

d co

ndit

ion?

Act

ivit

ies

(tas

ks)

- H

eavy

trol

leys

use

d on

ste

ep ra

mps

.-

Trol

leys

use

d on

ram

ps w

itho

ut e

dge

prot

ecti

on.

- Ru

shin

g, ru

nnin

g an

d pe

rfor

min

g m

anua

l tas

ks o

n flo

ors

wit

h co

ntam

inat

es.

- Pr

essu

red

wor

k sc

hedu

les

crea

ting

spe

ed a

nd

sudd

en c

hang

es in

dir

ecti

on o

f mov

emen

t.

- Li

mit

ed v

isio

n fo

r pus

hing

and

car

ryin

g lo

ads

(e.g

. ta

ll tr

olle

y or

larg

e lo

ads)

.

- Ca

rryi

ng a

load

that

pr

even

ts w

orke

rs fr

om

grip

ping

a h

andr

ail o

r br

eaki

ng a

fall.

- H

andl

ing

unst

able

and

un

bala

nced

load

s.

- G

ood

visi

on o

f pat

h of

trav

el.

- U

se li

fts

whe

re p

ossi

ble.

- M

inim

ise

carr

ying

load

s on

sta

irs.

-

Use

sui

tabl

e tr

olle

ys o

n st

airs

or p

rovi

de ra

mps

.-

Suit

able

foot

wea

r is

wor

n.-

Wor

k is

org

anis

ed s

o th

at th

e ne

ed to

rush

or r

un is

av

oide

d.

- D

o th

e w

ork

task

s al

low

the

pers

on to

ad

equa

tely

mai

ntai

n th

eir b

alan

ce a

nd

enab

le th

em to

sav

e th

emse

lves

from

a s

lip

or tr

ip?

- D

o ta

sks

allo

w w

orke

rs

to h

ave

an a

dequ

ate

visi

on o

f the

ir p

ath?

Foot

wea

r-

Uns

uita

ble

foot

wea

r wor

n fo

r the

task

.

- Sh

oes

are

not s

lip re

sist

ant.

- Tr

ead

patt

ern

wor

n.

- Tr

ead

clog

ged

wit

h co

ntam

inan

ts (e

.g. m

ud,

dirt

or g

reas

e).

- Su

itab

le fo

otw

ear p

olic

y in

pla

ce (f

or s

elec

tion

and

us

age)

.-

Wea

ring

of s

uita

ble

foot

wea

r is

mon

itor

ed.

- Is

foot

wea

r sui

ted

to

the

purp

ose

of th

e w

ork?

-

Is fo

otw

ear

mai

ntai

ned?

- Ca

n it

pro

vide

goo

d gr

ip o

n th

e flo

or d

urin

g w

ork

duti

es?

Oth

er-

Are

oth

er p

oten

tial

so

urce

s of

slip

, tri

p an

d fa

ll ri

sks

man

aged

?


Envi

ronm

ent /

light

ing

- Li

mit

ed v

isio

n on

sta

irs,

at c

hang

es o

f floo

r su

rfac

es o

r floo

r lev

els,

on

ram

ps a

nd w

alkw

ays.

- G

lare

on

wal

kway

s.-

Poor

ly li

t wor

k ar

eas

and

wal

k w

ays.

- Su

dden

cha

nges

in li

ghti

ng le

vels

bet

wee

n ar

eas

(e.g

. bet

wee

n ou

tdoo

rs a

nd a

dim

ly li

t sta

irw

ell,

or b

etw

een

outd

oors

and

load

ing

bay;

dis

trac

ting

sh

adow

s on

ste

ps, s

tair

s an

d w

alki

ng s

urfa

ces)

.

- Lo

w le

vel o

r obs

truc

ted

light

ing

and

shad

ows

arou

nd h

azar

ds (e

.g.

obje

cts

in w

alkw

ays,

un

even

floo

ring

).-

Incr

ease

d ri

sk w

hen

wor

king

in c

old

or h

eat

(e.g

. col

d ro

oms

or

free

zers

, hum

id c

ondi

tion

s su

ch a

s sm

oke

hous

e).

- A

dequ

ate

light

ing

for t

he w

ork

area

and

wor

k ta

sks.

- Cl

earl

y m

arke

d ai

sles

.-

App

ropr

iate

ligh

ting

and

vis

ual c

ues

on h

azar

d ar

eas

such

as

chan

ges

in fl

oor s

urfa

ce le

vel.

- A

dequ

ate

light

ing

for a

cces

s w

ays

incl

udin

g ni

ght

tim

e us

e.

- Pr

ovid

e gr

adua

ted

light

ing

betw

een

area

s.-

Repl

ace,

repa

ir o

r cle

an li

ghts

bef

ore

leve

ls

beco

me

too

low

for s

afe

wor

k.

- Is

the

light

ing

adeq

uate

to

cle

arly

see

the

path

of

trav

el a

nd s

lip a

nd

trip

haz

ards

? -

Are

dis

trac

tion

s in

the

area

min

imis

ed?

Stai

rs a

nd ra

mps

- In

appr

opri

atel

y de

sign

ed s

teps

and

sta

irs

(eg

stai

rs w

ith

inad

equa

te fo

ot s

pace

; var

iabl

e st

ep

heig

hts

in s

tair

case

; ste

ps w

ith

exce

ssiv

e ra

dius

on

nosi

ng).

- Ra

mps

that

are

too

stee

p or

wit

h sl

ippe

ry s

urfa

ce.

- Sm

all o

r mis

sing

land

ings

whe

re d

oors

ope

n di

rect

ly o

nto

stai

rs.

- St

ep e

dge

and

trea

d no

t obv

ious

.

- N

o or

inad

equa

te h

and

rails

.-

Poor

con

diti

on o

f ste

ps

and

stai

rs.

- Is

olat

ed lo

w s

teps

pa

rtic

ular

ly a

t doo

rway

s an

d co

ld ro

om e

ntra

nces

. -

Spee

d hu

mps

that

en

croa

ch o

n pe

dest

rian

w

alkw

ays.

- O

nly

use

stee

p st

airw

ays

for s

econ

dary

acc

ess,

and

en

sure

they

hav

e st

urdy

ha

ndra

ils o

n bo

th s

ides

.

- Ra

mps

and

sta

irs

desi

gned

to re

leva

nt s

tand

ards

.-

Ram

p su

rfac

e m

ade

slip

resi

stan

t wit

h fo

ot g

rips

or

text

ured

sur

face

.-

Stur

dy h

andr

ails

or g

uard

rails

on

all p

latf

orm

s,

step

s or

sta

irs.

- N

on-s

lip s

tair

trea

d.-

Clea

rly

mar

ked

and

non-

slip

ste

p ed

ges.

- A

dequ

ate

rails

on

ram

p to

pre

vent

trol

leys

runn

ing

off t

he e

dge.

-

Elim

inat

e is

olat

ed lo

w s

teps

if p

ract

ice.

- En

sure

isol

ated

low

ste

ps a

re h

ighl

ight

ed.

- N

on-s

lip tr

eads

.-

Hig

hlig

ht th

e st

art a

nd fi

nish

of r

amps

.-

Cov

ers

to e

limin

ate

wea

ther

con

diti

ons.

- A

re th

e st

airs

and

ra

mps

app

ropr

iate

ly

desi

gned

and

m

aint

aine

d in

goo

d co

ndit

ion?

Act

ivit

ies

(tas

ks)

- H

eavy

trol

leys

use

d on

ste

ep ra

mps

.-

Trol

leys

use

d on

ram

ps w

itho

ut e

dge

prot

ecti

on.

- Ru

shin

g, ru

nnin

g an

d pe

rfor

min

g m

anua

l tas

ks o

n flo

ors

wit

h co

ntam

inat

es.

- Pr

essu

red

wor

k sc

hedu

les

crea

ting

spe

ed a

nd

sudd

en c

hang

es in

dir

ecti

on o

f mov

emen

t.

- Li

mit

ed v

isio

n fo

r pus

hing

and

car

ryin

g lo

ads

(e.g

. ta

ll tr

olle

y or

larg

e lo

ads)

.

- Ca

rryi

ng a

load

that

pr

even

ts w

orke

rs fr

om

grip

ping

a h

andr

ail o

r br

eaki

ng a

fall.

- H

andl

ing

unst

able

and

un

bala

nced

load

s.

- G

ood

visi

on o

f pat

h of

trav

el.

- U

se li

fts

whe

re p

ossi

ble.

- M

inim

ise

carr

ying

load

s on

sta

irs.

-

Use

sui

tabl

e tr

olle

ys o

n st

airs

or p

rovi

de ra

mps

.-

Suit

able

foot

wea

r is

wor

n.-

Wor

k is

org

anis

ed s

o th

at th

e ne

ed to

rush

or r

un is

av

oide

d.

- D

o th

e w

ork

task

s al

low

the

pers

on to

ad

equa

tely

mai

ntai

n th

eir b

alan

ce a

nd

enab

le th

em to

sav

e th

emse

lves

from

a s

lip

or tr

ip?

- D

o ta

sks

allo

w w

orke

rs

to h

ave

an a

dequ

ate

visi

on o

f the

ir p

ath?

Foot

wea

r-

Uns

uita

ble

foot

wea

r wor

n fo

r the

task

.

- Sh

oes

are

not s

lip re

sist

ant.

- Tr

ead

patt

ern

wor

n.

- Tr

ead

clog

ged

wit

h co

ntam

inan

ts (e

.g. m

ud,

dirt

or g

reas

e).

- Su

itab

le fo

otw

ear p

olic

y in

pla

ce (f

or s

elec

tion

and

us

age)

.-

Wea

ring

of s

uita

ble

foot

wea

r is

mon

itor

ed.

- Is

foot

wea

r sui

ted

to

the

purp

ose

of th

e w

ork?

-

Is fo

otw

ear

mai

ntai

ned?

- Ca

n it

pro

vide

goo

d gr

ip o

n th

e flo

or d

urin

g w

ork

duti

es?

Oth

er-

Are

oth

er p

oten

tial

so

urce

s of

slip

, tri

p an

d fa

ll ri

sks

man

aged

?

Slips, Trips and Falls Risk Management WorksheetProblem area or activity

Work Area: Assessed by:

Activity: Position/Job Title:

Details: Date:

Workers consulted:

Identify the problems and assess the risk

What are the risks? Refer to slips, trips and falls risk management tool for guidance on assessing risks (red and amber columns).

Floors (internal or external) Cleaning procedures Stairs and ramp Footwear Contaminants and obstacles Activity Environment/lighting Other

Find the solution

Step 1 - Decide on how to fix the problem

* Refer to the slips, trips and falls risk management tool for guidance on controlling risks (green column).

Can you eliminate the risks? Yes - How?

No

Can you redesign the environment, activity, work process or equipment? For example:- Apply floor treatments to

increase slip resistance. - Improve lighting.- Stop leaks from equipment or

pipes.- Provide adequate drainage

to prevent pooling of contaminants.

- Clearly mark edges of steps and changes in floor height.

Yes - How?

No

Can administrative controls also be used to minimise risks? For example:- Implement spillage management procedures.- Implement suitable footwear policy.- Carry out cleaning out of operational hours. - Provide training on slips, trips and falls.

How?

Step 2 - Implement controls

* Refer to the slips, trips and falls risk management tool for guidance on controlling risks (green column).

Person responsible for putting the controls in place:

By when:

Review the controls

Reviewed by: / / Date of review : / /

Have workers been consulted? Have the controls implemented, reduced the risk? Have any other risks been created by the controls? Can further controls be implemented to minimise the risk?

“I was carrying a full tray down the stairs. I guess I should have used the lift, but it was really busy

and I needed to save time. I slipped and injured my shoulder. It doesn’t hurt that much, but not

playing with Sally does.”

Further informationFor further general information on preventing slips, trips and falls, please contact Workplace Health and Safety Queensland:

Telephone 1300 362 128

Website: www.worksafe.gov.au

Telephone interpreter service: 13 14 50

The materials presented in this publication are distributed by the Office of Industrial Relations as an information source only.

The information and data in this publication are subject to change without notice. The Office of Industrial Relations makes no statements, representations, or warranties about the accuracy or completeness of, and you should not rely on, any information contained in this publication. This document is a guide only and must be read in conjunction with the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011.

The Office of Industrial Relations disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you might incur as a result of the information being inaccurate or incomplete in any way, and for any reason.

© The State of Queensland (Office of Industrial Relations) 2016

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Slips, trips and falls prevention - WorkSafe Queensland · Introduction Each year more than 13,000...

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