UK Slips, Trips & Falls Prevention Template

Purpose and Scope

This procedure sets out requirements to prevent slips, trips, and falls on the same level across all [Organisation Name] premises. It covers internal rooms, entrances, external walkways, car parks, and staircases, and applies to all staff, customers, visitors, and contractors.

Falls from height (such as ladders, platforms, or roofs) are covered separately under the Working at Height Procedure.

This procedure complies with statutory duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Incident reporting aligns with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR 2013), requiring immediate reporting for specified injuries and reporting within 15 days for injuries causing over seven consecutive days of incapacitation.

Working through related paperwork at the same time? See also our US Slips, Trips & Falls Prevention Procedure Template, US PPE Policy & Hazard Assessment Template and California Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Template.

Procedure Applicability

Apply this procedure under these conditions:

• Daily: Complete walkthrough checks during opening and shift-change routines.
• Immediately: Whenever anyone finds a spill, leak, damage, or obstruction.
• Seasonally: Before and during bad weather, or when entrance conditions change.
• Post-Incident: After any slip, trip, fall, or near-miss to find and fix root causes.

Roles and Responsibilities

• [Role]: Holds overall responsibility for this procedure, maintains the walkthrough checklist, and oversees the fix-it log.
• Duty Managers: Run or delegate daily walkthrough checks, address hazards, and ensure staff close out logged maintenance items within [Timescale].
• All Staff: Own any spill or hazard immediately (“see it, sort it, or stand by it”) and report unresolvable issues to [Role].
• Cleaning Staff and Contractors: Clean floors following established wet-cleaning routines, timing limits, and safety sign rules.

Hazard Controls

The organisation actively controls these common hazards:

• Liquid Contamination: Water, oils, equipment leaks, tracked-in rain, and wet cleaning residue.
• Trip Obstructions: Trailing cables, goods left in walkways, staged deliveries, damaged or uneven floors, and curled mat edges.
• Level Changes: Single steps, ramps, and unexpected thresholds.
• Lighting Deficiencies: Blown bulbs in stairwells or corridors, and sudden lighting changes that cause glare or dark spots.
• Footwear: Unsuitable footwear in operational zones (e.g., kitchens, wet areas, or production zones).

Daily Walkthrough Inspection Procedure

1. Walk the full inspection route, all floors, stairs, entrances, and external walkways, at scheduled times [Time / Shift Change], using the checklist at [Location / System].
2. Inspect floor surfaces for wet patches, damage, lifted edges, and worn anti-slip coatings. Make sure entrance mats lie flat.
3. Check that walkways, corridors, and fire exits stay completely clear of stock, rubbish, trailing cables, and temporary props.
4. Check light levels across stairwells, corridors, and entrances. Log any failed fittings for same-day replacement.
5. Check entrance controls during wet or icy weather. Confirm that staff deploy suitable matting, set out visible wet-floor signs, and provide umbrella storage at [Location].
6. Fix minor hazards on the spot. Log unresolved issues in the fix-it log with an owner and target completion date. Cordon off or sign the area until it is repaired.

Spill Response Procedure

1. Take ownership of any spill you find. Stand by the hazard or make it clearly visible. Never leave a spill unattended.
2. Set up a warning sign or temporary barrier immediately. Signs are stored at [Location].
3. Clean the spill using the correct method and material for the surface and substance (e.g., paper towels for small liquid spills, mops, or absorbent granules at [Location] for grease or oil).
4. Dry the floor thoroughly. A clean wet floor is still a hazard. Leave warning signs in place until the surface dries completely.
5. Report spill details and the root cause to [Role] so they can decide if structural repairs, equipment maintenance, or process changes are needed.

Flooring, Footwear, and Lighting Standards

• Flooring Materials: New and replacement flooring must meet slip-resistance standards for the area. Repair damaged flooring within [Timescale] and guard it physically in the meantime.
• Footwear Requirements: Staff working in designated operational zones [Kitchen / Wet Area / Production Area] must wear slip-resistant footwear meeting [Specification / Provided by Organisation Name]. Managers monitor compliance during shift checks.
• Cleaning Schedules: Schedule floor cleaning outside peak traffic hours. Wet-clean main walkways at [Time / After Close]. If cleaning during operational hours, use cordless equipment or set up physical cordons.
• Stair and Transition Lighting: Maintain standard lighting levels on stairs and ramps. Fit step edges with high-visibility contrast nosings where risk assessments require them.

Reporting, Records, and Review

Record all slips, trips, falls, and near-misses involving staff, contractors, or visitors on the day they happen, following the Incident Reporting Procedure.

[Role] reviews all reported incidents and the fix-it log [Frequency, e.g., Monthly] to spot trends and repeat locations, and to handle statutory RIDDOR 2013 reporting.

Keep completed walkthrough checklists and fix-it logs at [Location / System] for [Retention Period].

Review this procedure [Frequency, e.g., Annually] or immediately after any major incident.

• Procedure Owner: [Role]
• Approval Date: [Date]
• Next Review Date: [Date]