Slips & Trips Prevention

Posted on December 21, 2023 in Cleaning

As property managers, your paramount responsibility is to maintain safe and secure premises, with a particular focus on minimising the risks of slips and trips.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, as well as the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, there is a legal duty to control workplace hazards, including the risk of slipping or tripping.

Effective Strategies for Slips and Trips As property managers, your paramount responsibility is to maintain safe and secure premises, with a particular focus on minimising the risks of slips and trips.

1. Clear Common Areas: Keep communal areas, such as hallways and stairs, free from clutter like boxes, pushchairs, and furniture to prevent obstructions during emergencies.
2. Regular Maintenance: Ensure that stair nosings are secure, carpets are well-maintained, and pathways and steps are treated with anti-slip solutions. The HSE website highlights slips and trips as a leading cause of injury.
3. Risk Assessment: Conduct thorough risk assessments of slip and trip hazards, in consultation with both residents and employees. This helps identify potential problem areas, including outdoor spaces like car parks and entrances.
4. Training and Safe Work Systems: Implement safe working practices and train staff to understand and mitigate slip and trip risks.
5. Accident Reporting: Encourage the reporting of incidents and near-misses to pinpoint and address high-risk areas.
6. Regular Inspections: Give special attention to floors, stairs, lighting, cleaning methods, and personal protective equipment during property inspections.
7. Cleanliness and Organisation: Maintain cleanliness and remove obstacles from floors and access routes. Foster a proactive approach to hazard management among staff.
8. Waste Management: Ensure regular disposal of rubbish to designated areas.
9. Effective Lighting: Provide good lighting, especially on stairways, to avoid shadows or glare.
10. Floor Maintenance: Regularly inspect and maintain flooring, securing loose carpets or mats, and applying non-slip coatings to slippery surfaces.
11. Safety Features: Install handrails on all stairways and use colour-contrasted stair nosings.
12. Immediate Response to Spillages: Clean up spillages promptly and use signage to indicate wet floors or ongoing cleaning.
13. Cable Management: Prevent cables from trailing across walkways and use cable ties or walkover mats as necessary.
14. Appropriate Footwear: Ensure contractors and workers wear slip-resistant footwear, selected through risk assessments.
15. Pendulum Test: Utilise this test to determine the slip resistance of flooring.

Managing these risks not only creates a safer environment but also reduces potential litigation costs.

For specialised support, consider our anti-slip treatments and coatings services at Protech Anti-Slip Solutions. Our expert team is ready to assist with comprehensive solutions, including pendulum testing, to enhance the safety of your property. Contact us at 0845 604 1288 or visit our website for more information. Together, we can ensure the well-being and safety of your residents and workforce.