ATL

Slippery when wet

Slips, trips and falls in schools are very common and can cause long-lasting pain and injuries. ATL solicitor Sharon Liburd explains

A highly polished floor causes an ATL member to slip and fall. Another loses his footing while walking on uneven ground in the college car park. Slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of major injury in workplaces in the UK. In 2007/08 they caused 60 per cent of serious accidents to those working in the education sector.

ATL therefore welcomes the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Shattered Lives 2009 Campaign, aimed at raising awareness of these accidents and how to prevent them. According to the HSE, someone breaks or fractures a bone at work every 25 minutes.

The 2009 campaign is targeting the education sector. Slips, trips and falls cost the education sector £48.6 million a year. The cost of sick pay and cover can have a substantial impact on budgets. Moreover, these figures do not reflect the impact these injuries have on the injured and their families, their colleagues, as well as the disruption to students' education.

Too many of our members have suffered broken bones, bruising, strains and sprains, dislocations and other injuries, which can result in lengthy sickness absences and ongoing pain. While these types of accidents can happen to anyone, it is often older people, and particularly women, who are injured more severely.

As part of the campaign, comprehensive information, interactive risk assessment tools, video clips of personal experiences, as well as posters relating to the primary and secondary sectors, are available on the HSE's website www.hse.gov.uk/slips.

Various legislation applies to slips, trips and falls. The Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 requires employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees and others (eg students) who may be affected by their work activities.

This includes taking preventative measures to reduce the risks of these types of accidents. In addition, the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 oblige employers to assess these risks. Educational establishments should be able to demonstrate they have effectively considered these risks and have suitable control measures in place. Periodic reviews should take place to ensure these measures remain effective. In addition, employees have a duty to report any situation that might present a serious and imminent danger.

Accidents should be investigated properly. Under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977, the functions of safety representatives include investigating accidents and carrying out inspections of the workplace. Safety reps are entitled to access information relevant to the workers they represent, such as risk assessments on slips, trips and falls.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 set out minimum standards regarding the physical condition of the workplace, as well as the provision of adequate welfare facilities, such as toilets. Under these regulations, floor and traffic routes (both internal and external) should not be the cause of slips, trips or falls. The following practical measures ought to be considered:

• Suitable arrangements should be in place to deal with the reporting and addressing of wet and dry spillages.

• Cleaning processes: floors that have been left wet after cleaning often create hazards, and so can highly polished floors.

• Trailing cables should be avoided wherever possible; equipment positioned to avoid such trails; use cable covers.

• Sufficient lighting must be provided on stairs, external steps, paths and parking areas, especially during the winter months.

• Paving slabs and tarmac paths should be in good condition to give a flat, even surface.

• Playgrounds and all-weather sport surfaces should be well-maintained.

• It should be ensured that mats in sports halls are kept in good condition and suitable footwear is worn at all times.

• The release of students after lessons should be staggered if traffic routes are heavily used at certain times.

• Worn or damaged carpets and tiles should be replaced promptly.

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR), employers are required to report serious injuries (those resulting in three or more days off work) to the HSE. As there is an under-reporting of accidents, ATL members who have accidents at work are advised to seek confirmation that accidents have been reported to the HSE and to request/retain a copy of the accident report.

ATL members who have been injured at work and wish to be advised should ring ATL's personal injury solicitors on 0800 083 7285. Legal proceedings must be commenced within three years of the date of the injury (or the date of knowledge of the injury).