Nov 21 2005
The common misconception that slips, trips and falls are inevitable often leads to the risks not being taken seriously.
Many businesses probably do not recognise slips as a major safety concern, but the fact is they account for approximately 37% of all reported major injuries (www.hse.gov.uk/slips) and are the most common cause of injury in the workplace.
Also, civil action resulting from injury sustained from inadequate surfacing is often costly in terms of time and money. The new CDM Regulations (as currently written) will require designers to design surfaces for in-use conditions, so they will need to formally assess the risks of slipping to ensure that floors are safe; CIRIA’s guidance Safer surfaces to walk on – reducing the risks of slips (C652) explains how this can be done.
This new publication will be officially launched at a free event on 26 January 2006 at the RIBA in London. The book details risk assessment methods recommended by HSE, based on research carried out in their own laboratories, which will aid designers in complying with their duties in health and safety legislation. It also provides advice to those responsibility for the provision, specification and maintenance of safe flooring surfaces, and is the only single source of clear guidance covering all the issues, from the flooring itself, to activities taking place, visual impacts, wear and the maintenance regime. Case studies in the guidance demonstrate how simple cost effective measures, better application of risk assessment and management controls and improved understanding of the causes of slipping can significantly reduce these accidents.