Part 1
Slips, trips and falls
Slips, trips and falls (or STFs) are everywhere, and they are costly. They account for 25%+ of all workplace injuries and are the #2 cause of work-related deaths globally. In the U.K., there were 179,500 STF injuries recorded in 2022/23.
They crop up in offices, warehouses, and sites alike (with wet floors, cluttered walkways, poor lighting, a missed step) and quickly turn routine tasks into recordable injuries. The good news: most are avoidable with consistent attention and a proactive, safety-first culture.
Example cases:
Lone worker fall from height
Working at height while alone can delay rescue and worsen outcomes. One UK case saw an experienced linesman performing evening maintenance on power lines by himself. He fell roughly 6 metres from a ladder and was later found dead. The investigation revealed inadequate lone-working controls, and the utility company was fined £900,000 for safety failures.
Trench collapse
One lone worker was using an excavator in a trench; the trench collapsed and no one realised it until 11:30 PM when the worker’s wife reported him missing. He was sadly found fatally buried, hours too late.
Fragile roof fall
A worker fell through a fragile roof at a site in Dudley and died. The company and its operations manager were prosecuted and fined after the HSE found failures in planning and protection for work at height. This illustrates how STF risks escalate without robust controls.
Mitigation strategies:
Engineer safer surfaces & spaces: High-traction flooring/coatings in wet zones; bevelled transitions/ramps; drainage; non-slip stair treads; ample lighting indoors/outdoors to reveal hazards.
Perform housekeeping & maintenance: “See it, sort it” for spills; winter snow/ice plans (pre-shift clearing/salting); secure cords/mats; fix uneven floors; routine inspections.
Control traffic & layout: Keep walkways clear; mark changes in level; place absorbent mats at entries; design storage to keep items off floors.
Use footwear and PPE as the last line: Mandate slip-resistant shoes; issue ice cleats/traction aids for cold weather; use handrails.
Train and reinforce awareness: Proper onboarding and seasonal refreshers on hazard spotting, safe pace, carrying/visibility, and reporting; signage (“Wet floor”, floor tape) and micro-campaigns (e.g., “Watch Your Step”).
Implement lone-worker controls: Define which tasks cannot be done alone; scheduled check-ins; radios; fall-detection/man-down wearables with GPS; fast escalation if a check-in is missed.
Build culture & accountability: Encourage near-miss reporting; rapid fix SLA for hazards; supervisor walk-downs; measure STF rates and act on trends.
