Slips trips and falls

Stay Upright, Stay Aware, Stay Safe

Slips, trips, and falls are the most common cause of workplace injury at Flinders and whilst the majority result in minor injury, there is the potential for more serious injuries. The encouraging news is that many of these incidents are preventable through simple, everyday actions.

Why this matters

A safe workplace is built on shared awareness and collective responsibility.  Preventing injuries not only protects our people, but also supports our ability to work, teach and learn effectively.  Many hazards that lead to slip, trip and fall incidents are common and fixable, which is why vigilance and early action are so important.

What to look out for

Please stay alert to potential hazards in your environment, including:

• Wet or slippery surfaces (e.g. rain, spills, recently cleaned floors)
• Uneven surfaces and pathways
• Clutter and obstacles in walkways
• Human factors such as rushing, distraction, or using mobile phones while walking

Simple actions that make a difference

We can all help reduce the risk by adopting a few practical habits:

• Stay Aware: slow down, remain focused, and use handrails where available
• Stay Safe: clean up or report spills, and keep walkways clear
• Dress for safety: wear appropriate, slip-resistant footwear, especially in wet conditions
• Report hazards and near misses in FlinSafe promptly so they can be addressed early
• Plan ahead and avoid rushing, particularly between meetings or tasks

Our shared responsibility

Creating a safe environment is everyone’s responsibility. Each of us can contribute by:

• Being aware of our surroundings
• Taking action to remove or report hazards
• Looking out for others and offering support, if you see someone at risk of a slip, trip or fall, make them aware
• Following safety procedures and signage

Our commitment

As part of this campaign, you’ll see increased awareness resources designed to support safe behaviours across the University.  We encourage everyone to engage with these materials and actively contribute to a safer workplace.

By working together, we can ensure that everyone at Flinders University remains safe and supported every day.
 

_{Images courtesy of SafeWork SA - Slips, Trips and Falls.}

Slips, Trips and Falls @ Flinders

Slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of accidents and incidents at the University, accounting for around 28% of all reported accidents and incidents.

Common causes of slips, trips and falls are:

• Slippery or wet floors, both inside and outside of buildings
• Loose mats, especially on floor surfaces that allow them to move freely
• Uneven surfaces
• Spills and contaminants
• Unsuitable footwear
• Inattention (eg use of mobile phones and devices, MP3 players)
• Sloping surfaces, such as ramps and paths on campus
• Obstructed walkways, stairwells and thoroguhfares
• Rushing
• Carrying heavy loads (eg piles of books) while not holding a hand rail or carrying bulky loads that block view of the path or stairs

Guidelines

How to prevent slips, trips and falls:

• Pay attention and concentrate on stairs, ramps and sloping paths
  • Use the hand rails provided
  • Do not use your mobile phone, device or MP3 player
• Do not carry items in both hands and avoid loads that reduce your ability to see the stairs, ramp or path. Use lifts if carrying larger loads.
  • Use a mechanical aide such as a scak truck or trolley to assist with heavier loads
  • Consider 'breaking up' the load into smaller portions to make them easier to handle
• Use designated pathways
• Wear appropriate footwear for the job and the work environment - avoid high heels, floppy sandals and thongs
• Make sure that floors, walkways, stairs and storage areas are free of obstruction
• Clean liquid spill and other hazards from floors immediately
• If floor is wet, use appropriate signs to indicate that extra care is required or direct pedestrains via an alternate route
• Report any damaged floor or outdoor surfaces that may be a hazard
• Report any issues with lighting which may cause low visibility (i.e. lodge a maintenance request for the faulty lighting)
• Maintain walkways, thoroughfares and stairs free of equipment, debris and cables
• Avoid use of extension cords and cables running across thoroughfares, walkways and stairs
• Ensure any matting used near doorways does not introduce a new trip hazard
• Undertake regular workplace inspections to identify any slip, trip or fall hazards
• Slow down and allow enough time to reach your destination, especailly if the path is unfamiliar (including overseas, interstate or other areas off campus)

Further information

Preventing slips, trips and falls training video

Code of practice - managing the risk of falls at workplaces

Code of practice - managing the work environment and facilities

Slips and trips at the workplace - fact sheet SafeWork australia

Ladder safety