Slips & Trips

Background

Slips and trips are a very common occurrences but are easy to prevent. It is very important to try and prevent these form occurring as they can cause a variety of injuries, concussion and even death.

Causes of Slips & Trips

There are a variety of causes of slips and trips:

  • Slippery and/or uneven surfaces
  • Moving at inappropriate speeds
  • Wearing inappropriate footwear
  • Poor visibility
  • Carrying items that block your view of pathways or stairs
  • Cluttered pathways and cords
  • Distractions, for example, reading a book or using a mobile phone whilst walking

Avoiding Slips & Trips

There are some very easy ways to avoiding slipping and tripping:

  • Move carefully over surfaces that are slippery and/or uneven, or avoid them entirely
  • Look ahead
  • Use handrails on stairs
  • Wipe your shoes if they get wet or muddy
  • Ensure you don’t leave objects lying on the floor or cables across walkways
  • Report any dangerous areas such as poorly lit staircases, floor coverings that have lifted up or damaged/uneven walkways
  • Wear appropriate footwear
  • If walking where there is poor lighting, take a torch
  • If you see a spill on a floor, clean it up

Contact for Further Information

UNE Work Health and Safety (WHS) Team: whs@une.edu.au


For a print version to display on WHS Notice Boards please click here.