The temperature has dropped, the dark nights at their longest and the cold, wet spells have arrived, which means winter is here and slips and trips accidents increase quite considerably, due to less daylight, slippery wet leaves, ice and snow.
According to statistics from the Health and Safety Executive, slips and trips are the single most common cause of injuries at work, and account for over a third of all major work injuries, costing employers over £512m a year in lost production and other costs.
Under health and safety legislation, we all have a duty of care to keep potentially dangerous areas safe for your staff, customers and the general public so if you have a duty of care, consider all the points below.
- Are your gutters clear and not in danger of over spilling / leaking which could form to ice in these current temperatures and become a serious slip / trip hazard?
- Are your car parks, walkways and entrances planned for gritting if the temperatures continue to fall?
- Are all water systems free from leaks and not in danger of creating a slip hazard?
- Are all heating appliances in working order and is the temperature in your working environment reasonable?
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