Spotlight On – Slips Trips and Falls Statistics

Slips Trips and Falls Statistics

Slips, trips and falls are one of the biggest causes of workplace accidents and injuries. In this article, we’re having a look at the statistics surrounding the area.

The Numbers

Recent HSE findings show that:

• 27% of workplace fatalities arise from falls from height
• 37% of reported employee injuries were caused by a slip, trip or fall from height
• 56% of all major injuries were the result of a slip, trip or fall
• 31% of over 7-day injuries resulted from a slip, trip or fall
• On average, 2 million working days are lost to such incidents

In fact, slips trips and falls remain the most common cause of major injury to employees.

The number of slips, trips and falls in the workplace has declined in recent years, but there is still a long way for industries to go to continue to drive figures down.

How can we reduce this?

There are many simple ways to reduce the occurrence of slips trips and falls in the workplace.

The simplest way is to carry out a risk assessment in the workplace. It’s also important to talk to employees and find out areas and aspects that they think need attention.

Some examples of the steps you can take include:

• Stopping floors becoming contaminated, e.g. by using entrance matting, fixing any leaks, general housekeeping, and implementing safe work methods.
• Using the right cleaning methods, i.e. ensuring your method is effective for the surface type, removing spillages promptly.
• Consider the flooring and work environment: ensure floor type and material is appropriate, ensure lighting is adequate, ensure workplace is kept tidy.
• Get the right footwear
• Consider people/organisational factors
• Ensure all accidents and incidents are reported

Why is it important?

It is clear from the above statistics that slips, trips and falls represent a major area in need of improved safety and practices.

By taking steps to reduce the number of slips, trips and falls in the workplace, businesses can enjoy a number of benefits.

Reducing the number of accidents and injuries has a financial benefit for businesses. It can result in fewer absences, lower staff turnover, sick pay reductions, insurance benefits, and improved productivity.

A reduction of accidents also has a positive impact on workforce morale, leading to higher productivity, fewer absences and a reduction in staff turnover rates.

By demonstrating that you are taking the health and safety of your staff seriously, your reputation will improve with clients, customers and staff, bringing about further benefits to the business.

You can also take a look at our previous article on The HSL’s GRIPP Scheme, which looks at slip preventing footwear. 

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