Slips, trips, and falls are among the highest causes of injury and incidents in workplaces. Slips/trips and fall incidents/accidents happen for several reasons and this safety alert sets out the factors that can contribute to slip/trip incidents/accidents and the actions to take to prevent them.

DID YOU KNOW?

The statistics below show why taking the appropriate actions to avoid slips, trips and falls is so important.

Slips and trips are responsible for, on average:

• Over a third of all reported major injuries
• 20% of over 3-day injuries to employees
• 2 fatalities per year
• 50% of all reported accidents to members of the public that happen in the workplace
• Cost to employers £512 million per year (lost production and other costs)
• Cost to health service £133 million per year
• Incalculable human cost.

Ultimately, it is everyone’s responsibility to avoid spills, trips, and falls – but identifying and controlling hazards is the best place to start.

SLIPS

Slips are caused by something that ended up on the floor such as water, oil spillage, dust etc. That can be exacerbated by smooth surfaces.

All crews are reminded that the showers are dangerous and one of the most slippery surfaces in the ship. The most significant causes are water, soaps or     shower gels, and hair products. It is therefore important to take due care whenever having a shower to ensure that you avoid slipping which may result in unpleasant consequences.

PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS:

• Avoid spillages and deal quickly with them if they occur;
• Use of warning signs;
• Good housekeeping;
• Consider stopping the contamination reaching the floor, e.g., use drip trays, use lids;
• Cleaning
• Avoid rushing & carrying large objects which may obstruct you from seeing where you are going, or becoming distracted whilst walking e.g., using the mobile phone.

TRIPS:

Trips are caused by obstructions in walkways and or uneven floors/surfaces. Trips occur when an individual catches their foot on an object, which interrupts their walking leading to a fall. Obstacles as little as 10mm high can cause someone to trip. Trips are more common when someone isn’t paying attention to their surroundings.

Common causes of tripping are clutter in your way, uneven walking surfaces, workers not paying attention, poor lighting, obstructed view, stairs, trailing cables, uneven carpet or flooring.

PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS:

Hazard Awareness:

Where it is not possible to remove the hazards of trip and fall onboard ships, it is important that all employees know where and when the hazard is present in a work environment to avoid hurting themselves. For example, watertight doors in ships have a trip hazard by their design, they are not level with the flooring of the ship. It is very important for the crew to be aware of that, and they should pay attention to the trip hazard whenever walking through the doors.

Housekeeping: Walkways and emergency escape routes must be kept clear, no trailing cables/wires/ropes, no obstruction.  Workers need to have a ‘see it, sort it’ attitude to ensure that work areas are kept clear.

Design & maintenance: Floors onboard ships are designed to withstand the harsh conditions. The floors have excellent non-slip properties. However, it is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that the floors are taken care of. Floors, more especially designated walkways, should be free from obstructions. Spillages must be removed, and cluttered floors must be reported. Reducing the risk of slips and falls protects everyone onboard.

FALLS:

Falls are avoidable. If you take the proper precautions, you can prevent them.

The best way to avoid falls is to eliminate the hazards which cause them;

• Always wear proper footwear;
• Be alert of changes on the floor or in your walking path;
• Clean spills quickly, don’t assume someone else will;
• Barricade all wet or uneven areas or provide warning signs;
• Maintain good standards of housekeeping, remove all obstacles from the walkways