Why they are one of the most common workplace injuries — and how to design them out
Slips, trips and falls (STF) happen in almost every workplace and are one of the most common causes of injury that keeps people off work. Most are falls on the same level — flat ground, not from height — and most are preventable. Under the HSWA you must manage the risk so far as is reasonably practicable: keep walkways clear and clean, deal with contamination fast, fix uneven surfaces and lighting, and treat footwear and signage as backup, not the main control.
A slip is a loss of grip between footwear and the floor — usually from a wet, contaminated or over-smooth surface. A trip is when a foot catches an obstacle or an unexpected change in the surface. The fall is the result, on the same level or from a small height such as a single step or kerb.
Falls from height — ladders, roofs, scaffolds and unprotected edges — are a separate, higher-consequence hazard with their own controls. See working at height for those. This guide covers slips, trips and same-level falls.
STF are easy to dismiss as minor, but they are a leading cause of injuries serious enough to take someone off work for a week or more. They cause sprains, fractures, head and back injuries, and they are often the trigger for something worse — a fall into machinery, off a platform, or down a flight of stairs. Because they are so common, they are also one of the biggest sources of lost time and ACC cost for many businesses.
STF are rarely down to a single cause — usually several factors combine.
| Factor | Examples |
|---|---|
| Contamination | Water, oil, grease, food, dust and leaves; spills and wet cleaning in progress. |
| Obstacles & housekeeping | Trailing leads, boxes and stock in walkways, clutter and waste. |
| Surface & level changes | Uneven, worn or loose flooring, ramps, single steps and kerbs. |
| Lighting | Too little light, glare, or shadow that hides a hazard or an edge. |
| Footwear | Worn soles, or footwear unsuited to the surface and contamination. |
| People & pace | Rushing, carrying loads that block vision, distraction, reduced mobility. |
| Environment | Weather walked indoors, frost, autumn leaves, and condensation or ice in cold rooms and kitchens. |
A trip can be caused by a change in floor height of as little as 1 cm. (Source: SafeWork NSW.)
Work down the hierarchy: design the hazard out first, and treat footwear and signage as the last line, not the first.
| Level | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Eliminate | Remove level changes, redesign routes, and fix leaks and drips at the source. |
| Substitute / engineer | Slip-resistant flooring, drainage, better lighting, highlighted edges, and managed cable routes. |
| Isolate | Barrier off or re-route around wet floors and work areas while they are a hazard. |
| Administrative | Cleaning schedules, fast spill response, housekeeping standards, inspections and clear signage. |
| PPE | Slip-resistant footwear matched to the surface and the contamination. |
Signage and footwear are the lowest-order controls — they support higher controls, they do not replace them.
Identify, assess, control, review. Walk the site and talk to the people who work there; review incident and near-miss records and map where falls keep happening. Assess each spot, apply controls in order, and review — especially after a change such as new flooring, a layout change, or an incident.
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Yes. They are one of the most common causes of injuries serious enough to take someone off work, and they often trigger worse outcomes — falling into machinery, off an edge, or down stairs. They are also a major source of lost time and ACC cost.
Most are caused by a combination of factors, but poor housekeeping — contamination, clutter and trailing leads — together with surface and level changes and poor lighting are the usual culprits.
Usually not on its own. Footwear is the lowest-order control. You should first design out the hazard and use engineering and housekeeping controls; slip-resistant footwear backs those up, it does not replace them.
The HSWA does not list specific STF rules, but the primary duty of care requires you to manage the risk so far as is reasonably practicable, and the General Risk and Workplace Management Regulations cover workplace conditions such as floors, lighting and housekeeping.
A same-level fall happens on flat ground or from a very small height like a single step. A fall from height — off a ladder, roof, scaffold or unprotected edge — is a separate, higher-consequence hazard with its own controls.
