Are you falling down on the job?
March 1st 2005

Slips, trips and falls is an issue that industry is failing to get to grips with. Here Paul Hamer of Jallatte discusses the issues and offers advice on how some simple steps can reduce the problem

According to a survey of 800 safety reps undertaken by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) slips and trips are the major safety problem in 84% of workplaces. Of those businesses surveyed, there were 15 000 reported slip and trip incidents, over 400 of which resulted in broken bones or other major injuries, with substances on the floor and obstructions accounting for 74% of these accidents.

According to the TUC’s ‘Falling Down on the Job’ survey, in some industries, traditional areas of health and safety have been given short shrift as employers have rushed to get to grips with newer and more high profile occupational health risks such as RSI and stress.

Such is the concern at the level of annual slip and trip injuries, that the HSE is undertaking a concerted focus on the issue.

This has led recently to the launch of its Slips Assessment Tool (SAT), free computer software that allows employers to assess the slip potential of floors.

As the issue starts to re-enter the spotlight, Jallatte says there are, however, some very simple steps that can be taken to reduce the threat of slips, trips and falls.

The TUC survey has highlighted the two main causes of slip and trip injuries as being: substances being spilled on the floor and obstructions. If employers can address these two issues effectively then the impact of slips and trips in the workplace can be significantly reduced.

A liquid that has either been spilled onto the floor or which has seeped from plant and machinery is a major hazard. Good housekeeping procedures will help manage this issue, but it is often the case that accidental spillages and leaking pipes are only spotted after an incident.

Safety flooring will help, but when a liquid has been spilled or sits on the surface of the floor, staff who come into contact with it are likely to slip and trip.

It is essential therefore to specify, as part of a safety programme safety footwear that provides the right level of grip appropriate to the floor surface being walked upon and the hazards that could be encountered.

The issue of grip is all too often overlooked for more traditional safety features such as steel toe caps. By putting the issue of grip higher up the list of safety footwear priorities, workplace slips will be reduced. Leading manufacturers, such as Jallatte, invest a great deal of time and money to research and create a range of sole technologies that provide high level grip performance in a range of indoor and outdoor working environments. Just like tyre producers who create different treads for use on different surfaces, so manufacturers are creating new technologies to offer grip benefits to end users. That’s because there is no ‘one sole fits all’ solution to safety footwear. Someone who is working outside on a construction site walking across an uneven and muddy environment, will require different footwear to someone who is working in a chemical plant. While many of the the physical safety requirements may be similar across a diverse range of industry sectors, the same cannot be said of sole technology.

There are a number of issues that need to be considered when selecting the right sole unit for the workplace. Typically these will include:

• Does the footwear have the right grip for the environment ? - This is a critical step if you are to supply the right solution for the wearer. Are they working outdoors or in a factory, in a wet or dry environment, on uneven surfaces or on the level? Does the job require them to lift and carry, twist and turn or climb up or down?
• Is there a progressive shock absorber within the heel ? - Jallatte is becoming increasingly concerned that employees are suffering micro traumatic shock injuries, which, although in isolation are not enough to cause harm, accumulate over time to the point where the employee suffers a musculoskeletal injury.
• Is the sole unit up to the job? - Particularly important for people working, for example, in muddy conditions where a sole unit that is clogged up and unable to perform can become hazardous for the wearer, offering virtually no grip whatsoever.
• Does the sole unit offer heat and chemical resistance?
• Is the wearer going to be constantly on their feet? - If the answer is yes, then you will need to consider a grip that follows the pressure zones of the feet, that has an anti-torsion system under the arch and with a shock absorber in the heel.

While providing physical protection is clearly an essential ingredient in safety footwear selection, the points highlighted above show that it should not be the only consideration. A grip that, when it comes out of the box, looks chunky may in reality be wholly inappropriate for the wearer and the job they do.

While many precautionary measures will involve good housekeeping procedures, other issues - such as the selection of the right type of sole technology - need to be considered. Grip is king when trying to reduce slips in the workplace. Get this step right and the chances of employees suffering needless injury will be significantly reduced.

For more information on selecting the right safety footwear or for a copy of Jallatte’s ‘The Guide’, contact Jallatte on 01827 831260.

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