Winter 'Trips'

This week we have a special guest blog from Maxine of The HR Dept’s Health and Safety Service. Get in touch via twitter @MMatthewsHRHS

As the winter season approaches, employers should be hoping the only ‘trips’ their staff experience this winter are for late winter sun and skiing. Slips, trips and falls account for 33% of all major injuries in the workplace - which results in 2 fatalities a year. On average there is 1 slip, trip and fall every 3 minutes, an alarming number of preventable accidents. So with figures so high how can we reduce these, especially with winter and the inevitable snow creeping up on us?

Maxine has provided some top tips on how to avoid slips trips and falls in the workplace this winter season:

·         Carry out work place inspections - ensuring nothing is left in walkways for example; boxes, trailing cables, work equipment.

·         Get your staff involved in hazard spotting, carry out workplace risk assessments.

·         With the cold and icy weather, ensure outside areas are gritted to prevent slips and falls. Encourage staff to wear suitable footwear during the cold snap, high heels look good but are really not practical on ice and snow!

·         Ensure spillages and melted snow are cleared up – without forgetting the all important yellow sign.

·         Implement an efficient housekeeping procedure.

·         Ensure any damaged flooring is replaced or fixed.

This should get you off to a downhill start on controlling trips in the workplace…

The HR Dept is promoting awareness of Health and Safety in the workplace, and wishing all places of work an accident free environment.


@MMatthewsHRHS