Preventing slips, trips

and falls at work.

Use this checklist to manage the risk of slips, trips and falls
in your workplace

Workplace:
Location:
Date of assessment:

Assessment completed by:

Work area management representative:
Work area health and safety representative (HSR):
Others (workers, consultants):

How to use this checklist:

This checklist is designed to help employers meet their legal obligations to manage risks associated with slips,
trips and falls.

Follow the checklist to:

assess the risks associated with slips, trips and falls (under two metres)
list possible solutions
implement those solutions.
When assessing the tasks and introducing risk controls consult with HSRs and where possible, involve the
workers who do the tasks.

Control any risk

This checklist provides general guidelines only. It is important to control any risk you find.
In addition, arrange for regular workplace inspections, paying particular attention to:
floors, stairs and lighting
housekeeping (general cleanliness and cleaning methods)
variations in conditions, according to time of day and year, such as rain, cloudy days or night/day
personal protective equipment.

Keep a copy for your records

You should retain a copy of this document if it shows a risk of injury.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

SLIPS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

SLIPS Common hazards

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are floor surfaces inappropriate?

deep carpeted areas in high-use trolley areas
surfaces that become slippery when wet
expanded mesh flooring or steps (increased risk to people
wearing heels).
See the end of this checklist for more information on flooring characteristics and surface treatments to
improve slip resistance.
Are areas prone to liquid on the floor?
rainwater, mud near external doors
kitchen (particularly around sinks, fat fryers, urns)
areas where liquids are handled
toilets
wet floors from cleaning during work hours.
Install floor surfaces to reduce risks caused by water, grease or dust. Generally, textured floor surfaces are recommended.
Have an effective cleaning and maintenance program with warning signs and procedures for managing immediate risks.
Clean floors outside working hours. If not practical, introduce a system to ensure people do not walk on surfaces
until they are dry.
Use slip-resistant products on stair treads, ramps and other hazardous walking or working surfaces.
Put anti-slip mats at entrances.
Are there spills on floors?
meals areas
around oil reservoirs
ingredients or chemical granules
machinery spills or metal shavings
inadequately cleaned or maintained floors
spilled product
oil stains in undercover car parks.
Examine the production process to eliminate leaks.
Use drip pans and guards where possible spills might occur.
When machinery spills occur, follow clean-up procedures as detailed in the MSDS.
Install exhaust systems to remove dust or vapours to prevent settling on floors.
Have a system in place to change oil from fat fryers.
Regularly clean and maintain floor and outdoor surfaces.
Is drainage inadequate in wet areas?
toilets and shower rooms
kitchens.
Install suitable drainage.
Are there sudden changes in floor surfaces?
carpeted showroom to polished timber storeroom
sheet vinyl counter to tiled kitchen
concrete workshop to terrazzo office
loose, granular, outdoor ground surfaces to steel decking.
Choose floor surfaces that ensure non-slip conditions when people move from one floor surface to another.
Treat floor surfaces to make slip resistance of both surfaces similar.
Ensure efficient drainage of outdoor ground surfaces.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

SLIPS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

SLIPS Common hazards (continued)

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Is there any growth over floor surfaces?

moss on external pathways
mould on bathroom or laundry floors.
Regularly clean and maintain floors and outdoor surfaces.
Keep outdoor surfaces free of leaves, mud, clippings, paper and gravel and remove moss or slime.

Slips Footwear

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are there areas where footwear is used for a specific task or

to prevent slips?
safety gumboots in meat processing area
steel capped safety shoes in storeroom.
Ensure suitable footwear is chosen check suppliers and manufacturers specifications for selection of footwear
for different surfaces and risk factors (refer to AS 2210 Safety footwear).
Are there areas where footwear is inappropriate for the task?
high heel shoes worn on step-ladders
(eg accessing stock in shops)
leather-soled shoes in a freezer.
Ensure suitable footwear is worn appropriate to the task.

Slips Ramps

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are steep ramps used by workers?

The ramp gradient must be no more than 1:8
For more detailed information, refer to AS1657:1992 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders.
Do any ramps present a slip hazard?
smooth, steel loading dock
slippery timber ramp
painted concrete surfaces.
Ensure ramps are made slip resistant with foot grips or a textured surface.
Are hand trolleys used on ramps?
Ensure workers are aware that pushing or pulling a trolley can increase the risk of slipping.
Provide handrails and midrails, as well as kick rails (at least 100mm high) on both sides to prevent trolleys
running off the edge.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

TRIPS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

TRIPS Common hazards

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are internal floors damaged?

broken tiles, worn floor coverings
uneven floor surfaces
poorly maintained access routes.
Regularly review and maintain uneven, damaged floor surfaces.
Is external access poor?
uneven or loose paving
poorly maintained footpaths and garden edges.
Regularly review and maintain external access areas.
Is equipment stored in aisles and walkways?
cleaning equipment in storeroom aisles
trolleys kept in front of back door.
Provide a dedicated storage area for cleaning goods.
Designate a safe storage area for trolleys and equipment.
Are goods stored in aisles and walkways?
stock placed in storeroom aisles
stock placed in front of exit doors.
Provide adequate storage racks.
Designate an area for storage of inward goods that does not block walkways.
Ensure aisles or passageways remain uncluttered at all times.
Are personal items stored around workstations?
handbag or gym bags placed on floor under desk.
Provide locker for storage of personal items.
Are there low obstacles where workers walk?
empty pallets
angle iron, coach bolts or other items protruding from floor
extension cords.
Check for, remove or establish barriers around low obstacles.
Are there untidy work areas?
workshop with tools, waste or materials on floor
storeroom with raw materials, rubbish left lying around
bakery with poor cleaning routines, such as sweeping flour off
benches onto floor.
Ensure appropriate cleaning procedures are in place, such as collecting flour waste from bench directly into rubbish bin.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

TRIPS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

TRIPS Common hazards (continued)

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Can clothing get caught on objects or surfaces?

Ensure items that may catch clothing are removed from aisles and passageways, or guarded.
Do loading docks pose a risk?
height difference between loading dock and floor of truck
gap between loading dock and truck
slippery and uneven metal dock plates.
Ensure dock levellers or bridge plates are used when transferring materials between dock and truck.
Ensure metal dock plates have grip surfaces to prevent slipping and that the edges of dock plates are smooth
and have no sag.
Does unsuitable matting create a risk?
flattened cardboard cartons used as floor matting
mats with turned up edges
unsecured mats at entrances
loose floor mats.
Rubber-like mats are long wearing, slip resistant on the top and bottom sides.
Ensure slip resistant door mats at entrances are secured or large enough to remain in place.

TRIPS Steps and stairs

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are there steep or slippery steps and stairs?

Use a non-slip bull nose finish on steep or slippery steps and stairs.
Ensure stairways that are too steep are only used for secondary access and have sturdy handrails on both sides.
Are there inappropriately designed steps and stairs?
stairs with inadequate foot space
steps of varying height
steps with excessive radius on nosing.
Ensure stairs have adequate foot space, even step dimensions and suitable radius on nosing.
Are workers at risk from falling into or out of vehicles?
truck cabin
forklift
ride-on mowers
mobile cleaning equipment.
Ensure steps and hand grips are provided in the cabin so there are three points of contact for hands and feet at all times.
Ensure steps are non-slip and have adequate foot space.
Ensure hand grips allow people to use a power grip.
Are there steps and stairs with poor lighting?
nosing is poorly defined.
Paint a bright strip (highlight) on nosing where lighting is inadequate.
Increase lighting in areas where there are stairs and steps.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

TRIPS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

TRIPS Steps and stairs (continued)

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are there small landings (or no landing) where doors open

onto stairs?
Provide a landing with sufficient space for the door to fully open without striking anyone.
Are there isolated low steps (commonly at doorways)?
at cold room entrances
speed humps where people walk
at loading docks.
Eliminate isolated low steps if practicable.
Ensure isolated low steps are highlighted.
Do steps have a sturdy handrail or guard rail?
Ensure there are sturdy handrails or guard rails on all platforms, steps or stairs.
Are workers at risk from carrying loads on stairs?
carrying a load where they cant grip a handrail to prevent a fall
carrying a large load where they cant see the steps beyond
the load.
Where possible, loads should not be carried by hand on the stairs. If this is not possible, ensure the load is small
and light enough to carry in one hand to the side of the body.
Are workers at risk from moving trolleys or large objects
down stairs?
using trolleys with handles that are too short and contribute
toextreme postures
moving large objects that prevent people seeing the steps
using high force to move heavy objects on narrow or
smoothtreads.
Use lifts where possible.
Use only stair-climbing trolleys on stairs.
Provide ramps.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

TRIPS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

TRIPS Traffic management

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are workers exposed to risks in aisles or walkways near

mobile plant, machinery, welding operations or
loading docks?
Install barriers to separate pedestrians from mobile plant and vehicles.
Ensure permanent aisles, passageways and emergency exits are appropriately marked and clear.
Ensure there is safe clearance for walking in aisles where powered mechanical handling equipment is used.
Is there insufficient headroom in aisles or walkways?
Ensure there is sufficient headroom for the entire length of any aisle or walkway.
Do grates or covers over floor openings create slipping or
tripping hazards?
missing or damaged grate or covers
grates or covers that are not continuous with floor surface or
that are smooth or slippery.
Maintain damaged grates or covers.
Ensure floor grates or covers over openings such as drains do not require workers to alter their walking pattern
to step over them.
Treat the surface of grates or covers to improve slip resistance.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

FALLS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

FALLS Common hazards

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are workers required to use inappropriate step-stools?

broken chairs
overturned milk or other crates.
Use a safety step to gain access to items at head or shoulder height.
Are any unsuitable chairs or seats used?
damaged chairs or seats
chairs with standard castors on vinyl floors
high stools without foot ring or place to support feet
unstable high stools or high chairs
office chairs with less than five-point base.
Remove damaged chairs from workplace and replace or fix them.
Ensure only chairs with glides or castors with brakes are used on smooth, hard surfaces such as concrete, timber or vinyl.
Ensure chairs with standard castors are only used on carpeted surfaces.
Ensure adjustable chairs with a five-star base are used for tasks that require prolonged keyboard work.
Ensure high stools are fitted with foot ring.
Are workers required to jump or step down to lower levels?
Ensure appropriate ladder, steps or stairs are used to climb or move down levels.

FALLS Ladders

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Is stock, materials or displays stored or stacked to a height

where ladders or steps are required?
Ensure stock, materials or displays are not stacked above shoulder height.
Are unstable or inappropriate ladders/steps used?
chair used as ladder
straight ladder used on smooth surfaces
straight ladder used to get stock from racking.
Ensure ladders and steps are stable or secured when in use.
Ensure ladder or steps are well maintained with non-slip feet and treads in good condition.
Use platform ladder or order-picking forklift to manually get stock from racking.
Is a ladder used as a work platform?
to pick items from racking
to put away items into storage.
Ensure ladders are used correctly ladders are designed to provide access to a work area; they are not designed to enable
a worker to perform work while standing on a ladder rung. Bending, twisting, reaching, lifting, pushing or pulling while
standing on a ladder is hazardous and should be performed on a work platform.
Ensure no items are carried by a person while on a ladder.
Ensure small items are suspended in a tool belt, not held onto.
Place large items into storage using a forklift or other mechanical lifting device.
Are ladders or steps used incorrectly?
reaching too far to either side
standing on the top rung of a ladder
used on uneven floor surfaces
rung ladder used without being secured, or at too shallow or
too steep an angle.
Ensure ladders or steps are used correctly a persons belt buckle should never extend beyond the side rails. The top three
rungs of a straight ladder or the top two steps of a step ladder should not be used for the feet.
Ensure the tops of ladders are tied to a secure structure.
Ensure ladders or steps are not stabilised with makeshift materials to even up floor surfaces.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Does the workplace pose a risk of injury due to slips, trips and falls of below two metres?
Tick yes if any of these risk factors are present:

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Yes

Comments (eg when and where is it happening?)

Are there poorly lit work areas and walkways?

Use lighting levels of approx. 80-240lux for general areas such as loading bays and areas requiring intermittent use
(refer to AS 1680.1-2006 Interior and workplace lighting).
Do sudden changes in lighting levels occur between areas?
between outdoors and a dimly lit stairwell
between outdoors and loading bay.
Provide graduated lighting between areas.
Ensure vehicles stop and drivers acclimatise before entering an area where there are pedestrians.
Ensure pedestrians cannot enter areas of vehicle traffic if they have not acclimatised to the lighting levels.
Is there lighting that is badly directed?
lighting throwing distracting shadows on steps, stairs,
walking surfaces
lighting that can make it difficult to see pedestrians or
mobile equipment operators.
Direct lighting so that does it not throw distracting shadows on steps, stairs or other walking surfaces.
Ensure lighting is not directed so that it makes it difficult for pedestrians and mobile equipment operators to see.
Do environmental factors affect workers?
working in cold room or freezer
working in wet conditions in plant nursery
working in humid conditions in smoke house.
Check workers are not exposed to environmental factors that may affect their behaviour or performance eg heat, cold,
chemicals or electricity.

If you found any risk of an injury due to slip, trip or fall, you must control it.

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Action required

Medium-term (within a few weeks to a couple of months)

Action required

Timetable to fix problems

Short-term (immediately to within a few weeks)

Others (workers, consultants):

Person
responsible

Person
responsible

Work area HSR:

Persons considering controls

Work area management rep:

Date prepared:

Location:

IMPLEMENTING RISK CONTROLS

Any risk of a slip, trip or fall must be eliminated or controlled as far as practicable.

Completion
date

Completion
date

Reviewed
date

Reviewed
date

Action
completed

Action
completed

Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

IMPLEMENTING RISK CONTROLS

Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

Table 1
Flooring characteristics and typical applications
Floor type

Characteristics

Typical application

Concrete

Rounded aggregate can be slippery when

concrete wears. Interior surface is often sealed
to prevent dusting and absorption of liquids but
this can increase slipperiness.

External pathways, factory and warehouse

floors. Slip resistance depends on finish and
wear. Use angular aggregate for pathways.

Terrazzo

Gives good appearance and wears well, but

can be slippery when wet, excess polish is used
or dusty.

Office building foyers and pedestrian areas

inshopping centres. Lay in place in panels
separated by metal strips.

Quarry tiles and ceramic tiles

Low water absorption and good resistance to

chemicals. Slippery in wet conditions if smooth,
but can be moulded with aggregate or profiles
to improve slip resistance. Special cleaning
equipment like high-pressure water spray may
be needed as a build-up of grease or dirt can
make these tiles ineffective.

Suitable for kitchens where hot spills might

occur, shower rooms, toilet and similar.
Needsfrequent cleaning.

Glazed ceramic tiles

Slippery when wet, particularly with soapy

water. Some slip resistance treatments
available, but preferable not to install these
products on floors.

Bathrooms and toilets.

Vinyl tiles and sheet

Easy to clean. Use sheet form, where washing

is required to avoid water getting tiles. Slippery
when wet, particularly if polished, however slip
resistance vinyl with aggregates moulded in,
isavailable.

Light industrial environments, corridors, hospital

wards. Not suitable where hot spills are likely.

Cork

Must be sealed to prevent absorption of oil

andwater, but likely to be slippery when wet.

Light industry, small kitchens, lecture rooms,

standing mats. Softer than vinyl.

Timber

Needs to be sealed to prevent absorption of oil

and water. Can be slippery when wet if highly
glossed or polished.

Meeting halls, gymnasiums, older factories

andoffices.

Steel plate

Tends to be slippery when wet or oily,

particularly when worn.

Factory areas with very heavy traffic, or to span

openings in floors. Usually with a raised pattern
(for example chequer plate) which provides
some slip resistance.

Rubber

Less effective in wet conditions. Must be fixed

down well at the edges and joins or will cause
a tripping hazard.

Ramps and areas requiring extra slip

resistance, stair treads. Usually with round
studpattern.

Plastic matting

Interlocking PVC extrusions gives good

drainage and slip resistance. Hose down or
steam clean.

Bathrooms, standing mats.

Carpet

Carpet has shorter life than a hard floor surface

but it can be a cost effective solution in many
cases. Installation should be wall-to-wall to
avoid the hazard of tripping on edges. When
used in small local areas, such as entrances it
should be installed in a recess in the floor.

Corridors, offices and areas where quietness

isa high priority and spills unlikely. However,
carpets of synthetic materials may be used in
entrance areas (to absorb water and dirt),
exterior areas and bathrooms.

Fibreglass grating

This product can have grit particles moulded

into upper surface to provide very good slip
resistance. Fluids are very quickly drained away.

Factory areas where fluids are unavoidable

andoverhead platforms and walkways.

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Preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

Table 2
Floor Treatments
To increase slip resistance, floors need to have greater friction or adhesion.
Slip resistant footwear is one strategy, treating the floor is another.
If an existing floor is a problem and its too expensive to install new flooring, it is possible to apply
afloortreatment. The cost of treatment varies considerably and it is a good idea to do a cost analysis,
particularly if the treatment does not significantly improve the quality of the floor.
Successful treatments are those that substantially increase the surface roughness of the flooring,
though the surface may not look as attractive and cleaning methods may need to be changed.
For wet conditions, continue the flooring material or treatment up the walls to at least 75mm. The continuation between the floor
andthewallshould be rounded to prevent fluids getting under the edges. This will reduce cleaning and drying time.
Make sure that sheet flooring, such as vinyl, is welded to prevent water seeping through and to allow more thorough cleaning.
Mild etch Applicable to ceramic tiles, granite, terrazzo, clay pavers and vinyl. They may increase slip resistance but the
tile may still be too slippery, particularly for soapy water.
Strong acid etches Applicable to concrete. Should make it suitable for slip resistance with water, but not with oil.
Adhesive strips Applicable to all flooring: Mineral-coated adhesive strips are useful for localised slip hazards such as stair
treadsandramps. However, they wear quickly and should be considered as a temporary solution or receive
regularreplacement.
Abrasive blasting Applicable to concrete, ceramic tiles, granite, marble, terrazzo, clay pavers and steel plate. Oil can still make the
surface slippery.
Grinding Applicable to concrete, ceramic tiles, granite, marble, terrazzo and clay pavers. This treatment can give a rougher
surface, so it could be used to give slip resistance under oily conditions.
Grinding with
diamond saw

Applicable to concrete, ceramic tiles, granite, marble, terrazzo and clay pavers. For example, grooves 2-3 mm deep,
spaced at 7-10mm would give slip resistance under oily conditions. Loss of the sealed surface could lead to staining.

Coatings Applicable to concrete, clay pavers, steel plate and timber. A range of base materials is used, including acrylics, flexible
polymers, polyester resin, vinyl ester resin and epoxy resin. For the best slip resistance, the coatings will include some
aggregate such as rubber particles, silica sands, and silicon carbide granules. These treatments can be tailored to the
application, depending on the level of chemical, traffic or slip resistance needed. With the right aggregate, slip
resistance under oily conditions is quite feasible.

Acknowledgement
Information on floor treatments and flooring characteristics and typical applications re-produced from
Comcares Guide to preventing slips, trips and falls.

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