In 2005/06, the 'freight by road' industry reported 442 major injuries caused by slipping or tripping. Many measures were identified by the Health and Safety Executive which could reduce the risk of slips and trips including:
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Ensuring that footwear provided is suitably slip-resistant for the environment that employees will be working in.
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Encourage a 'clean as you go' policy in order to keep vehicles and the workplace tidy.
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Avoid carrying awkward or heavy objects over slippery ground.
Further information on the prevention slipping accidents in the workplace can be found at the Health and Safety Executive.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 provide that every floor in a workplace and every traffic route in a workplace shall be of a construction which is suitable for the purpose for which it is used. These Regulations apply to 'workplaces' which generally includes premises which are made available to any person as a place of work. There are some exclusions including ships, construction sites, some means of transport and domestic premises. Importantly, the floor or surface of traffic routes within the workplace must also not be uneven or slippery so as to expose a person to a risk of injury.
The Regulations also provide that, so far as is reasonably practicable, every floor in a workplace and the surface of every traffic route shall be kept free from obstructions and from any article or substance which may cause a person to slip, trip or fall.