Stop slips in kitchens

An initiative aimed at people working in and managing kitchens.

How many slips have happened in your kitchen?

When kitchen worker Amy slipped on water from a leaking drinks dispenser, she instinctively reached out to stop her fall, in the process she plunged her arm into boiling hot oil. Chef Ahsan was even more unlucky; he slipped on a floor still wet from mopping and in the process of falling, pulled the entire contents of a hot deep fat fryer over him. These are two examples of serious slip accidents that have happened in a professional kitchen. In 2006/07 1863 people received an injury that kept them off work for more than three days, 640 received a major injury (many resulting in broken bones). As well as the personal cost, accidents can leave you short handed and can cost you money (eg sick pay, compensation claims, increased insurance costs).

Everyone has a part to play when it comes to stopping slips. Chefs, managers and business owners need to set up effective systems for preventing slips and trips and then need to ensure staff are informed, trained and following those systems. Staff can make a big difference by adopting a 'see it, sort it' mentality.

The good news is that it is possible to stop slip accidents from happening and the contents of this site can help.

Materials have been produced, designed to help you reduce the risk of slipping in your kitchen and help you comply with health and safety legislation. Electronic copies can be viewed by clicking on the links below; some are also available in print.

Resources

Stop slips in kitchens

Information sheets

Posters

Case studies

Kitchen related accidents[38]

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. A good practice guide https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/assets/docs/goodpractice.pdf
  29. Floor cleaning information card https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/assets/docs/floorcleaning.pdf
  30. Top tipshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/assets/docs/toptips.pdf
  31. Choosing footwear for use in kitchenshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/assets/docs/footwearguide.pdf
  32. Preventing slips and trips in kitchens and food servicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cais6.pdf
  33. Slips and trips: the importance of floor cleaning https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web/slips02.pdf
  34. Preventing slips and trips at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg225.pdf
  35. Assessing the slip resistance of flooring: a technical info sheethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/geis2.htm
  36. Stop slips in kitchens – Stop spills https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/assets/docs/spillsposter.pdf
  37. Stop slips in kitchens - Get a grip https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/assets/docs/gripposter.pdf
  38. Kitchen related accidentshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/casestudies.htm
  39. Slips and trips - Hazard spotting checklisthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck4.pdf
  40. Preventing slips and trips at work INDG 225 (rev1) https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg225.pdf
  41. Injury caused by a slip in a kitchenhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/audiovideo.htm
  42. Virtual College: Slips, Trips and Falls Online Traininghttps://www.virtual-college.co.uk/resources/slips-and-trips
  43. CIRIAhttp://www.ciria.org.uk/
  44. Usdaw: Risk mapping for slips and tripshttp://www.usdaw.org.uk/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=2db107ca-4d5d-49a2-99dc-16e187a59e71
  45. Work at heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm
  46. Shattered Liveshttps://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200912193450/https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/shattered.htm
  47. Cleaninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/cleaning/index.htm
  48. Stop Slips in Kitchenshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/kitchens/index.htm
  49. 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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2023-02-16