Slips, Trips & Falls Solicitors

Our slips, trips & falls specialists are here to help

We help many people who accidentally slip, trip or fall at work due to the negligence of their employer or workplace. It can be a distressing time and, depending on the scale of your injuries, could be life-changing.

Employer responsibility

Slips, trips and falls at work are one of the most common types of workplace accidents. Employers have a duty of care to ensure that the working environment is safe for their employees. In particular that all floors are safe, in a good condition and kept free from obstructions or hazards such as spilt liquids, trailing wires and stray equipment.

Employers should:

• Carry out risk assessments to identify any potential hazards and do everything which is reasonable to prevent accidents from happening;
• Provide suitable shoes with high friction, anti-slip soles in certain environments;
• Provide suitable clothing if appropriate;
• Provide anti-slip mats, painted surfaces or coatings where necessary;
• Install handrails in areas where slips and trips are likely;
• Provide basic safety training where risks are present;
• Identify and repair potholes or other defects;
• Frequently check ladders to ensure they are fit for purpose;
• Apply salt, sand and grit to treat outside areas under their control in snowy or freezing conditions.

Employees also have a duty to look after their own and others health and safety e.g. if you spill something on the floor then you should arrange for it to be cleaned up immediately and have warning signs placed nearby.

Falling from height

Falls from height are one of the largest causes of fatalities and other injuries. Common accident circumstances include falling from ladders or through fragile roofs.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR)

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) are intended to prevent death and injury from a fall from height and outlines what an employer is expected to do in order to comply with it.

Employers are expected to ensure that any work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by appropriately trained staff. When planning the works, employers are expected to take account of the weather conditions, prevent materials from falling, introduce safe zones, and plan for emergencies, evacuation and rescue.

It is still possible to bring a claim for compensation if your accident at work was caused by the negligent acts of another member of staff.