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What Is a Slip and Trip Injury?

Offices are seen as the safest of working environments, but there are many hazards in an office that could cause you to slip or trip. Loose packaging, trailing wires, slippery floors, and loose carpeting on stairs are just some of the hazards that can cause a slip or trip injury at the office.

There are a whole range of accidents that can occur in the construction industry, on building sites, in factories or warehouses such as falling off roofs or scaffolding, tripping over uneven paths or floors, and even falling into machinery. If you are injured at work, you will be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay at the very least. Your right to contractual sick pay should be in your employment contract or your terms and conditions of employment.

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The Law on Slip and Trip

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places duties on employers, self-employed and employees. Under the Act, employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees. In addition to The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers will have to comply with:

• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) 
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (Regulation 3) 
• The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (Regulation 12) 
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
• Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 

Slips and Trips at work can be prevented by common sense actions.  Your employers risk assessment should identify and remove any tripping hazards such as trailing wires or damaged carpets.  Your employer can provide anti slip mats, anti- slip painted surfaces or coatings, handrails and shoes with anti -slip soles where surfaces are slippery.

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What to do

If you suffer from a slip or trip at work you may be able to make a compensation claim.

In order to win your personal injury claim and be awarded compensation, you must use the Pre-action protocol for low-value personal injury claims. There are a few things that you need to prove in your claim;

• You must first identify that there is a person, company or organisation to make the claim against.
• You must show that the person, company or organisation owed you a duty of care to avoid your accident and injury, and could have taken steps to avoid the situation.
• You must show that your injury was caused by the failure of the responsible person or organisation to take reasonable steps to avoid causing your accident or injury. [ see Accidents at work, How to win your personal injury claim]