Slips, trips and falls

Workers in the building and construction industry may be exposed to slip, trip or fall hazards when:

• the ground surface, floors or other building surfaces are slippery, uneven, sloping, change or are cluttered with objects such as building materials, power tools or equipment
• using a ladder
• when working over inadequately guarded drops or ledges
• hit by falling objects
• colliding with objects or moving parts of machines
• falling onto the hot surfaces of machines
• working from a height
• lighting is insufficient
• housekeeping is poor

For further information view our Slips, trips and falls video.

Identifying hazards

A person conducting a business or undertaking must identify slip, trip and fall hazards that have the potential to cause injury. The person conducting a business or undertaking should consider all possible sources of information including:

• workplace inspections
• injury records
• worker consultation and reports

A large number of injuries in the building and construction industry are the result of falls. A fall commonly causes minor injury and muscular skeletal disorders. Falls however have the potential to result in much more serious and disabling injuries such as spinal cord and nervous system damage and even death.

Falls can be grouped into three categories:

• slips, trips and falls (falls on the same level)
• falls from height (a fall from one level to another)
• falls into a depth (falling into a hole)

Factors that may contribute to a fall include:

• the height at which the work is undertaken
• the nature and duration of the task
• movement suddenly starting or stopping
• moving from one surface to another
• the type, condition, slope and stability of the supporting surface
• the capability of the supporting surface to manage the load
• the surface underneath the work area including its stability, fragility or brittleness
• unidentified or unprotected openings, edges or holes
• level changes
• lost hand grip
• slippery surfaces (e.g. surfaces are wet, polished or oily);
• unsuitable footwear
• obstructions such as equipment, tools and rubbish in the work area
• incorrect ladder selection and use
• caught clothing
• unsatisfactory lighting
• weather conditions such as heavy rain or wind
• being struck by a moving or falling object
• lack of, incorrect selection or incorrect use of fall arrest systems and devices
• new and inexperienced workers involved in the task.