Shattered Lives: Slips, Trips and Falls Awareness Campaign

Lawson-West, solicitors, support the Health and Safety Executive’s Shattered Lives campaign to raise awareness of slips, trips and falls, particularly in the work place. Health and Safety Executive statistics show that nationally 61 people died and 14,000 suffered serious injury after a slip, trip or fall from height at work last year. In the East Midlands alone 2 people died and over 3,500 were seriously injured last year.

The Shattered Lives campaign aims to raise awareness of how slips, trips and falls happen and how they can be avoided. Employees are encouraged to report hazards. The campaign is specifically targeted at the food retail, catering and hospitality, food and drink manufacturing, building and plant maintenance, construction, healthcare and education sectors. Fatalities and serious injuries arising from slips, trips and fall incidents cost an estimated £700 million last year.

Most slips, trips and falls are caused through:-

• obstructions on walkways or items not being stored safely;

• floors not being kept clean and dry making them slippery and hazardous to walk on;

• spillages not being cleared, particularly where the spillage is water or another colourless liquid;

• trailing cables near workspaces;

• carpet tiles or mats not being level and secure;

• inadequate lighting.

The industry sectors focused on in the Shattered Lives: Slips, Trips and Falls campaign also have higher numbers of temporary workers or repair and maintenance engineers who don’t regularly work at one site so are not always familiar with the layout of the workspace they are using.

If you do suffer a slip, trip or fall that was not your fault, either in the workplace or in the street or another public place, please contact Mark Evans for free advice on 0116 212 1000.