Where to start?
All employers have to assess the risks to employees and others who may be affected by their work, eg visitors and members of the public. This helps to find out what needs to be done to control the risk. It is also needed to satisfy the law.
Step 1
Look for slip and trip hazards around the workplace, such as uneven floors, trailing cables, areas that are sometimes slippery due to spillages. Include outdoor areas.
Step 2
Decide who might be harmed and how? Who comes into the workplace? Are they at risk? Do you have any control over them? Remember that older people and people with disabilities may be at particular risk.
Step 3
Consider the risks. Are the precautions already taken adequate to deal with the risks?
Step 4
Record your findings if you have five or more employees.
Step 5
Regularly review the assessment. If any significant changes take place, make sure existing precautions and management arrangements are still adequate to deal with the risks.
Managing health and safety
A good management system will help you to identify problem areas, decide what to do, act on decisions made and check that the steps taken have been effective. A good system should involve:
- Planning - Identify key areas of risk and set goals for improvement.
- Organisation - Workers need to be involved and committed to reducing risks.
- Control - Check to ensure that working practices and processes are being carried out properly.
- Monitor and review - Monitor accident investigation and inspection reports. Try to identify any deficiencies in your management arrangements.
For more information
- Preventing slips and trips at work (indg225) (PDF) [28]
- What causes slips and trips and [29]what can I do to prevent slips and trips[30]?