Slips, trips and falls are one of the most common causes of injuries in schools resulting in a variety of injuries including fractures, cuts and bruises, and musculoskeletal injuries. This guideline has been developed to assist schools to reduce the risk of injury from slips, trips and falls for all staff, students and others on the school site.
Common causes of slips, trips and falls in schools
| Flooring |
Unsuitable, slippery, dirty, not correctly fitted, not maintained, changes of level that are not highlighted, incline of a ramp, change from wet to dry surface, worn coverings or broken tiles, potholes and cracks in floors. |
| Stairs |
Low visibility, no suitable handrail, steps of uneven height, steps of varying width, poorly maintained coverings or surfaces. |
| Housekeeping |
No suitable walkway through work areas, trailing cords, obstructions, untidy floors around work stations and inadequate storage space, liquid spills, loads that obstruct vision. |
| Human Factors |
Wearing inappropriate footwear, students and staff rushing about or carrying large objects. |
| Environment |
Light on a shiny floor causing glare, too little light, rainwater or condensation getting onto flooring, spills. |
| Cleaning |
Damp floors after cleaning, trailing cords from a vacuum cleaner. |
Adapted from OHS in Schools (WorkSafe Victoria)
Strategies to reduce the risk of injuries from slips, trips and falls
- Conduct regular workplace inspections to Identify hazards.
- Regular reminders to staff on the importance of housekeeping.
- Providing sufficient storage systems to keep materials out of walkways and corridors.
- Providing sufficient rubbish or recycling bins.
- Ensuring mats are fixed and do not have curling edges.
- Promoting the use of appropriate, slip-resistant footwear (where applicable).
- Having arrangements in place for wet weather including signage, wet weather mats, frequent mopping of water trailed in.
- Improving visibility where there are slopes and changes of level with hand rails, floor markings, etc.
- Choosing suitable floor surfaces and avoiding smooth floors in areas that will become wet or contaminated such as kitchens and hallways.
- Ensuring lighting levels are adequate.
- Ensuring cables are not placed where people can trip over them.
- Keeping work areas tidy.