Statistics on Slips, Trips and Falls

Be honest: Do you have a slippery floor at your facility? According to Safe Work Australia, slips occur when your foot loses traction with the ground surface due to inappropriate footwear or walking on slippery floor surfaces that are highly polished, wet or greasy. Trips occur when you catch your foot on an object or surface. In most cases people trip on low obstacles that are hard to spot such as uneven edges in flooring, loose mats, steps and kerbs, open drawers, untidy tools or electrical cables. Falls can result from a slip or trip but many falls occur from low heights such as steps, stairs and curbs, falling into a hole, ditch or into water.

So, what are the latest statistics (courtesy of Safe Work Australia)?

• Fatalities: 3414 workers have died from 2003 to 2016.
• All Serious Claims by Industry (2011-2016):

o Accommodation and food services: 32,885

o Sports and recreation activities: 6,425

o Construction & construction services: 103,485

o Repair and maintenance: 8,255

o Heavy and civil engineering construction: 10,815

o Education and training: 34,100

o Health care and social assistance: 91,295

o Manufacturing: 74,730

o Mining: 13,045

o Public administration: 45,595

o Retail trade (food, fuel, department stores, etc): 49,150

o Transport, postal and warehousing: 48,795

To help prevent slips, trips and falls, Area Safe Products supplies anti-slip matting, wet umbrella bag dispensers, anti-slip stair nosing, anti-slip coatings, kerb ramps, cable covers, floor graphics, floor warning signs, expanding barriers and anti-slip tape.