Slips and Trips Mapping Tool: An Aid For Safety Representatives
Slips and Trips Mapping Tool: An Aid For Safety Representatives
Slips and Trips Mapping Tool: An Aid For Safety Representatives
Executive
This leaflet is mainly aimed at safety representatives, but Slips and trips mapping can be used in any workplace or
may be useful to others. It supports the HSE campaign to work area and can be a very effective tool in helping reduce
reduce slips and trips in the workplace (a priority area for injuries at work for your members.
health and safety inspectors). Safety representatives can use
Slips and trips mapping tool to involve members in
identifying slips and trips problems and hazards in the Checklist for safety representatives
workplace, using their knowledge and experience.
Health and safety inspectors focus on incidents where there
Slips and trips account for about a third of all reported major is a significant risk of injury from a slip or trip. A safety
injuries. 95% of those injuries involve fractures of arms, representative, using the same approach, can decide
wrists and ankles. They are the most common hazard faced whether there is a significant risk by:
by union members.
■ looking at the work in progress and discussing other
Some safety representatives will have access to digital tasks, eg goods receipt and dispatch, maintenance,
cameras, which can be used to photograph and record slips cleaning etc to identify where potential risks are/could
and trips problems in the workplace, but mapping offers a be present;
simple alternative to identify the problem. ■ spotting leaking plant or machinery with fluids
accumulating on floors;
■ seeing the build-up of contamination on the floor, with
How to use the mapping tool no visible sign of containment or clean-up, eg brought in
on footwear in wet weather;
■ Draw a sketch map of the area. The examples on page ■ noticing the use of ad hoc measures to control leaks,
2 show how the risk mapping tool works (the map does such as corrugated cardboard being put down or
not need to be a work of art or even to scale, as long as warning signs left in place for extended periods;
it represents the workplace affected). ■ considering the age and construction of buildings,
■ Mark all the slips and trips reported in the last 12 months whether there is evidence of leaking roofs, walkways
(or any relevant period) with crosses on the map. exposed to the elements and potential for water, mud
■ Talk to members to identify any ‘near misses’ and add etc, to be brought into the workroom on wet clothing,
them to the map. shoes or vehicles;
■ Find out from members what is causing people to slip ■ seeing cluttered walkways, build-up of waste materials,
or trip in that area. general untidiness, impeded pedestrian access, trailing
cables etc;
Any ‘hotspots’ will quickly show up on the map. Once you ■ talking to staff to identify ‘difficult jobs’ or hearing about
have identified the problems and their causes: incidences of falls not leading to injury (‘near misses’);
■ examining records for evidence of slip and trip problems
■ discuss them with management; – in sickness absence, the accident book, RIDDOR
■ decide what action needs to be taken; reports etc.
■ continue to monitor to ensure control measures put in
place are working;
■ make sure improvements are communicated to members.
1
Slips and trips mapping tool
Outside walkway
in on shoes entrance area, with
Toliets
Toliets
Offices Canteen absorbent carpeting
Store
B. Meat from overfilled Improve system of work
machines to reduce waste and stop
Reception contaminating floor, slips; put measure levels on
Handwash
Equipment
Change
Name of rep:
Date: Workplace: Kitchen
2
Use this blank map to sketch out where slips and trips, or near misses, have happened where you work
Name of rep:
Date: Workplace:
3
Slips and trips mapping tool
Slips and trips mapping tool
Control measures
The table below gives guidance on appropriate control measures to prevent slips and trips - use the scale below the table to
assess whether control measures are adequate where you work.
(a) Floor contamination Work activities and environment controlled; process plant controlled and maintained to
minimise floor contamination such as water, oil, powders, food; spillages promptly and
effectively cleaned up (consider areas other than those where contamination is inevitable,
eg some dye houses, swimming pools).
(b) Suitable floors and Floors and required footwear give appropriate slip-resistance for the conditions;
footwear drainage, anti-slip surface, mats and grids are used as necessary (eg in areas prone
to contamination).
(c) Prevention of trips Floors even, free from holes; gangways well-marked; access routes kept free from trip
hazards, eg trailing cables, tools; stairs well-constructed and fitted with handrails.
Assessment scale
Each risk control indicator should be assessed against the following 1-4 scale. A scale of 1 must satisfy all the
appropriate criteria of the risk control indicator.
1 2 3 4
With thanks to USDAW for permission to develop their mapping tool for wider dissemination and use.
Further help and information Preventing slips and trips in kitchens and food service
Catering Information Sheet CAIS6(rev1) HSE Books 2005
Slips and trips: The importance of floor cleaning Information
Sheet (Slips and trips 2) MISC691 HSE 2005 Web version Slips and trips: Summary guidance for the food industry
only at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web/slips02.pdf Food Information Sheet FIS6 HSE Books 1996
Assessing the slip resistance of flooring: A technical information Preventing slip and trip incidents in the education sector
sheet Information Sheet (Slips and trips 1(rev1)) HSE 2007 Web Education Information Sheet EDIS2 HSE Books 2003
version only at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web/slips01.pdf
Slips and trips in the health services Health Services
Preventing slips and trips at work Leaflet INDG225(rev1) HSE Information Sheet HSIS2 HSE Books 2003
Books 2005 (single copy free or priced packs of 15 ISBN 978 0
7176 2760 8) Web version: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg225.pdf For detailed information go to the HSE website at
www.hse.gov.uk/slips/index.htm or ring HSE's Infoline
Preventing slips in the food and drink industries: Technical Tel: 0845 345 0055 Textphone: 0845 408 9577
update on floor specifications Food Information Sheet FIS22
HSE 1999 Web only version available at
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/foodindx.htm Published by the Health and Safety Executive