Slips, trips and falls in the workplace
Reduce the risk with easy to apply products
Author: Dee Jones/22 September 2026/Categories: HEALTH & SAFETY, Personal safety at work, Creating safe working conditions, Safety when working at height
Slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of injuries in the workplace. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that an average of 133,000 workers sustain non-fatal injuries due to same-level slips, trips and falls each year, costing UK employers about £512 million per year in lost production and other costs. These figures do not however account for falls from height which are still the leading cause of fatal and major injury in UK workplaces. Progress is being made in respect of this, but the risks remain and business owners need to understand that the cost of fines from prosecution have escalated considerably and therefore need to be taken very seriously.
The major causes of injury from slips, trips and falls are:
Floors
- spills - from liquids like water, oils and grease
- weather – rain, snow and ice
- cleaning – water, soap or lack of drying processes
- footwear – not suitable for environment
Walkways
- clutter – boxes, cartons, tools or waste materials left in the wrong places
- cables – electrical cords, wires etc
- lighting – insufficient, dark or absence of
- matting – loose carpets, rugs and matting
Surfaces
- floors – damaged, cracked or unexpected changes in levels
- steps and curbs – damaged, broken, missing or lack of handrails
Height
- unguarded holes -ceiling, floors and stairways
- access equipment - stepladders, ladders, lifts and hoists
The prevention of slip, trip or falls within the workplace is the first step to be taken for all responsible business owners. This will involve the risk assessment of flooring surfaces, access points, storage facilities, waste facilities, manual handling and working at height practises. The attitude of management and workers also needs to be considered in order to improve safety. This is often referred to as the ‘human factor’.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides a range of excellent risk assessment templates and examples which will help you to start your risk analysis.
All businesses have a legal duty to report injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences and this has been a statutory regulation since 2013. This is referred to as RIDDOR and employers must understand and operate this method of reporting.
Preventing the causes of slips, trips and falls can always be limited by implementing a range of cost-effective products within your workplace. There is a multitude of equipment that can keep you legally compliant and possibly free from prosecution and fines. Here are some suggestions:
SLIPS IN THE WORKPLACE