Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls at Work: Causes, Controls and Checks

Slips, trips and falls happen in every kind of workplace, from warehouses and kitchens to offices, sites and truck yards. They are often treated as minor, but they cause sprains, fractures, head injuries and lost time, and falls from height can be fatal. Most are preventable with good housekeeping, the right surfaces and footwear, and regular checks. This guide covers the causes, controls and a practical inspection routine.

Common causes

What WHS law expects

Businesses must manage the risks of slips, trips and falls so far as is reasonably practicable, like any other hazard. The WHS regulations include specific requirements for managing the risk of falls, and Safe Work Australia’s model Codes of Practice on managing the work environment and facilities, and on managing the risk of falls at workplaces, give practical guidance. Check with your state or territory regulator for the rules that apply to you.

Controls that work

Floors and surfaces

• Choose slip-resistant flooring for wet or greasy areas, and fix damaged or uneven surfaces
• Improve drainage and use mats at entrances
• Mark changes in level and step edges clearly

Housekeeping

• Clean up spills straight away, with spill kits and signs close by
• Keep walkways and exits clear of stock, pallets and waste
• Route cables and hoses away from walkways, or cover them

Lighting and layout

• Provide good lighting in walkways, stairs, docks and yards
• Separate pedestrian routes from forklifts and vehicles

Working at height

• Use steps, platforms and handrails on vehicles and docks instead of climbing
• Use the right ladder for the job and check it before use. See our ladder safety tips.
• Keep three points of contact when getting on and off trucks and plant

People

• Suitable, slip-resistant footwear for the task. See our guide to PPE.
• Reduce rushing and carrying loads that block the view

A practical prevention program

1. Map the hotspots. Look at incident and near miss records and walk the workplace to find where slips, trips and falls happen.
2. Talk to workers. Ask where people feel unsteady or have to climb, rush or step over things.
3. Fix the environment. Start with flooring, drainage, lighting, layout and access equipment.
4. Set housekeeping standards. Agree who cleans what, when, and how spills are reported.
5. Check regularly. Run short walk-through inspections daily or weekly, depending on the area.
6. Follow up and review. Fix every finding, and review hotspots after incidents and near misses.

Walk-through checklist

• Floors clean, dry and free of spills
• Walkways and exits clear
• No trailing cables or hoses across walkways
• Flooring and stair treads undamaged, with no lifted edges
• Lighting working in walkways, stairs and yards
• Handrails secure and step edges marked
• Entrance mats in place and flat
• Ladders and steps in good condition
• Spill kits stocked and accessible

Digital walk-throughs

With DIGI CLIP, supervisors and workers complete housekeeping and walk-through checks on a phone, with photos of hazards. Each form is location- and time-stamped. A failed item or hazard report creates an action in the Action Log, so it is assigned, fixed and closed out with evidence, and repeat hotspots are easy to spot.

Illustrative scenario: a leaking roof in a warehouse

During a weekly walk-through at a warehouse, a team leader finds water pooling near a dock door after overnight rain. She fails the item in DIGI CLIP with a photo, puts out wet floor signs and a mat, and an action goes to the facilities manager. A roofer fixes a leaking gutter that week, and the action is closed out with a photo of the repair.

This scenario is illustrative. It shows how a business could use DIGI CLIP and is not an account of a specific customer.

See also our guides to warehouse safety hazards and workplace safety inspections.