Employers must ensure the health and safety of all employees and anyone who may be affected by their work under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This includes taking steps to control slip and trip risks at work.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to assess risks (including slip and trip risks), and take action to address them where necessary.

Finally, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require floors to be suitable, in good condition and free from obstructions. People should be able to move about safely.

FibreGrid's tips for slip-proofing your work premises include:

•  Identify the area of your premises with the heaviest foot traffic. Do you have one main entrance area used by employees and visitors alike? Do you have a walkway through your warehouse where most of your foot traffic occurs? The more foot traffic, the higher chance of a slip or fall, so make sure you pay extra attention to these areas when choosing your anti slip solution. FibreGrid offer branded anti slip floor mats for your premises, so not only will your premises entrance offer a durable anti-slip flooring solution, but it will look aesthetically pleasing. We also offer anti-slip GRP line marking panels for those areas of a warehouse that see the most foot traffic.

•  We all know how easy it is to trip up the stairs (or down them), so areas requiring extra attention when slip-proofing your property are staircases and/or steps. FibreGrid offers a range of anti-slip stair solutions, including stair tread covers, nosings, anti-slip paints and tapes – suitable for any budget. Make sure you choose a solution appropriate for the level of traffic your stairs receive. For rarely-used fire escapes, FibreGrid’s SlipGrip Standard Stair Tread Covers are suitable, however if you have entrance stairs that see large amounts of employee or visitor foot traffic, aluminium reinforced stair tread covers may suit you better. 

•  Our next tip is to hazard spot your premises. Walk about and look around for any hazard that may pose a potential trip threat. Are there any holes, potholes or uneven paths? FibreGrid offers concrete repair products which allow you to quickly and easily patch these issues up. Are there any areas prone to getting wet (which may then ice or moss up in the winter months)? Is any of your machinery leaking fluid which may cause a fatal slip? Are any of your current anti-slip solutions too worn to be doing their job property? A full checklist of things to look out for can be found here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck4.pdf

•  Our final tip is to identify areas with limited natural light. If you have a particularly dark section of your warehouse, or if you have areas used by pedestrians during night time hours, then you may open yourself up to a higher potential for slips and falls due to limited visibility. Other than ensuring these areas are well lit, you may also want to provide glow in the dark flooring for your foot traffic. FibreGrid offers a Safety Glow range – anti slip GRP flooring which glows in the dark – showing pedestrians exactly where to put their feet to avoid accidents. 

If you don’t have the time or capability to carry out our tips, then FibreGrid can help by conducting a survey at a company's site and providing a flooring risk assessment and method statement, along with a quote for slip-proofing your premise that meets your budget.