School kitchen case study

A school catering company recognised that they could do more to reduce slips, trips and falls. They took the opportunity to attend an HSE workshop. It helped them identify what could be contributing to slips, trips and falls and what simple, cost-effective measures could help reduce them. They looked at changing their systems and procedures right away.

All cooks and catering managers got a presentation on slip, trip and fall hazards from the managers who attended the course and heard how they could reduce the risks simply by changing the way they mopped.

Doing it in two stages - mixing the detergent to the correct amount with hot water and then leaving it for a minute or so on the floor is more effective at removing grease than mopping it off immediately.

A survey identified that a number of school meals teams would benefit from slip-resistant overshoes. This included those staff working in kitchens with smooth flooring, typically found in older facilities, and those kitchens where slip accidents had occurred.

Though the measures have only recently been introduced, the reduction in slips trips and falls has been dramatic with a fifty per cent fall on the previous year.