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I've had a slip or trip accident at work – What happens now?

A number of people contact us because they have had a slip or trip at work, have received an injury and want to know what happens next or if they are eligible for compensation. The following outlines what happens when you are injured at work or similar and what the HSE and Local Authority inspectors can do?

The HSE and Local Authority Environmental Health Department are unable to assist you or advise you about making a personal injury claim; you will need specialist legal advice. The Citizens Advice Bureau[28] may be able to help or you could go to a local solicitor.

The role of the HSE and Local Authority in the event of an accident is as follows: -

If you are an employee

Depending on the severity of the accident or the amount of time you are off work, your employer may need to report the details to us or the Local Authority via the incident contact centre.[29]

More information on whether an accident is reportable[30]

If you are a member of the public injured in someone else's premises

Depending on the severity of the accident the person responsible for the premises in which you fell, or the person ultimately responsible for the work activity which caused you to fall, may need to report the details to us or the Local Authority via the incident contact centre.

More information on whether an accident is reportable[31]

All fatal accidents and a proportion of the most serious reported accidents are investigated by us or the Local Authority Environmental Health Department. Not all accidents are investigated and we cannot conduct personal investigations on your behalf. If an investigation is required to assist you with a personal claim it will fall to your legal representative to undertake.

Accident investigations are carried out in order to establish if health and safety laws have been followed or broken, and if any action needs to be taken in order to prevent any similar incidents from happening in the future. Actions might include, giving verbal advice, sending a letter of advice, serving an official notice or prosecuting.

Some of the information gathered during an investigation may be open to the public, to obtain it you will need to follow the procedures outlined by the Freedom of Information Act[32].

Link URLs in this page

  1. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/index.htm
  2. The lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/law.htm
  3. Frequently asked questions https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/faq.htm
  4. Overview - Are you a?https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/are-you.htm
  5. Employerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/employers.htm
  6. Employeehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/workers.htm
  7. Architect or designerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/architects.htm
  8. Overview - Causes and preventionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/preventing.htm
  9. Overview - Contaminationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/cleancampaign.htm
  10. Cleaninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/cleaning.htm
  11. Flooringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/flooring.htm
  12. Overview - Footwearhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/footprocure.htm
  13. Supplying slip-resistant footwearhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/manufactfoot.htm
  14. Environmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/environment.htm
  15. People (human factors)https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/human-factors.htm
  16. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/information.htm
  17. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/publications.htm
  18. Overview - Toolshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/tools.htm
  19. STEP eLearning packagehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/step/index.htm
  20. Overview - Slips Assessment Tool (SAT)https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/sat/index.htm
  21. Using SAThttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/sat/default.htm
  22. Research reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/research.htm
  23. Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/casestudies.htm
  24. Campaignshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/campaigns.htm
  25. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/links.htm
  26. Audio and videohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/audiovideo.htm
  27. Subscribehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/ebulletin/index.htm
  28. Citizens Advice Bureauhttp://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
  29. incident contact centre.https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm
  30. More information on whether an accident is reportablehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/reporting/who-should-report.htm
  31. More information on whether an accident is reportablehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/reporting/who-should-report.htm
  32. Freedom of Information Acthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/index.htm
  33. Slips and trips - Hazard spotting checklisthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck4.pdf
  34. Preventing slips and trips at work INDG 225 (rev1) https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg225.pdf
  35. Injury caused by a slip in a kitchenhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/audiovideo.htm
  36. Virtual College: Slips, Trips and Falls Online Traininghttps://www.virtual-college.co.uk/resources/slips-and-trips
  37. CIRIAhttp://www.ciria.org.uk/
  38. Usdaw: Risk mapping for slips and tripshttp://www.usdaw.org.uk/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=2db107ca-4d5d-49a2-99dc-16e187a59e71
  39. Work at heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm
  40. Shattered Liveshttps://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200912193450/https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/shattered.htm
  41. Cleaninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/cleaning/index.htm
  42. Stop Slips in Kitchenshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/kitchens/index.htm
  43. RIDDOR - Report an incidenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

RIDDOR
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995

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2025-02-11