Proactive prevention

Slips and trips are a leading cause of non-fatal major injuries in public areas and workplaces. These accidents often occur on floors contaminated with substances like water or grease, making it crucial for employers and those in control of premises to assess and manage slip risks to ensure safety. Key slip hazards include spillages, high foot traffic, poor lighting, unsuitable flooring, and adverse weather conditions. To prevent floor contamination, use entrance matting, promptly repair leaks, maintain equipment, and plan routes to avoid contaminated areas. Implement spillage reporting procedures and provide suitable footwear when necessary.

To effectively assess and mitigate slip risks, conduct thorough risk assessments. These assessments help identify necessary precautions, such as selecting appropriate flooring, implementing effective cleaning and inspection routines, handling spills and bad weather, and using entrance mats to prevent wet floors. A heat map of incidents can be useful to identify high-risk areas.

Choose flooring based on potential contaminants, testing requirements, lifespan, slopes, and drainage. Use Pendulum Test Values (PTV) to assess slip risk, aiming for a minimum of 36 PTV for wet or contaminated surfaces. Maintain and repair surfaces promptly and secure coverings like mats and rugs.

Key action steps include ensuring new surfaces are free from hazards, implementing a housekeeping programme, keeping entrance flooring dry on rainy days, conducting routine inspections, performing regular maintenance, and promptly identifying, reporting, and cleaning up spills.

Maintain records of flooring specifications, risk assessments, inspections, maintenance, and cleaning procedures to defend against compensation claims.

Introduction

Many individuals unknowingly work at heights, such as when using stools or low steps. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 define working at height as falling from one level to another, which includes falls from edges, fragile surfaces, or openings. It does not cover slips or trips on the same level or the use of permanent stairs. This webpage offers guidance for safe height work and strategies to minimise injury risks while enhancing claims defensibility.

Best practices for working at height

Whenever possible, avoid working at height. Effective practices include using remote tools like drones for inspections, designing work layouts to keep tasks at ground level, and installing permanent access solutions like stairs for higher areas. Conducting thorough risk assessments is essential for tasks that cannot avoid working at height. These assessments should ensure effective planning, identify potential hazards (such as fragile surfaces and openings), consider the frequency of access needs, assess the design of fixed access methods, provide appropriate mobile access equipment, ensure workers are trained, and establish safe working practices, particularly in adverse weather conditions.

Incident investigation and reporting

In the event of an accident or near miss, investigate by determining whether it was related to working at height, the condition of the equipment used, the nature of the tasks being performed, and whether the risk assessment was suitable and followed. Document all findings for future claims. When using stairs or steps for access, eliminate hazards where possible. Ensure compliance with British Standards, maintain consistent stair dimensions, design handrails for a firm grip, avoid curved nosing, use slip-resistant surfaces, keep stairs clean and well-lit, and consider human factors that may affect safety.

Safety measures for hot work

For hot work on roofs, the main concern is the increased fire risk. Always use a permit for hot work and working at height. Remove combustible materials, use non-combustible covers, ensure fire extinguishers are available, and provide appropriate fire watch. If using acetylene cylinders, remove them daily, and provide shielding for others nearby.

Introduction to workplace transport

Workplace transport refers to the use of vehicles within a workplace, excluding public road activity unless it involves loading or unloading nearby. Common risks include individuals being struck by vehicles, items or people falling from vehicles, and people becoming trapped between vehicles.

Importance of risk assessments

Conducting risk assessments is crucial for identifying dangers associated with vehicles like forklifts, vans, and cars, enabling corrective actions. These assessments should be documented and carried out regularly, especially after significant changes, incidents, or annually if no other reviews are needed.

Regular inspections and documentation

Regular inspections are also vital for daily safety, and those conducting them should be qualified and knowledgeable about the hazards present. It is important to document and retain the results of inspections and assessments for future reference. Sharing findings with relevant staff helps inform them of potential hazards, necessary controls, and compliance issues. Any required corrective actions should be addressed and recorded promptly.

Purpose: To eliminate unsafe conditions and human errors in high-risk tasks through a formal procedure.

Function: Specifies what work needs to be done, when, and how to do it safely, especially in hazardous situations.

Control measures: Necessary for both routine and one-time tasks (e.g., fire extinguishers for hot work, harnesses for confined spaces).

Requirements:

• Strong and effective controls to prevent danger
• Compliance with organisational standards

Considerations for implementation:

• Identify potential hazards
• Create a permit checklist
• Manage and follow the permit procedure
• Provide training and communication
• Conduct audits of the system

Summary: Permit to work systems must remain under the organisation’s control, not handed to contractors. Safety relies on adequate procedures being followed by all involved, with no deviations allowed due to the significant risks.

Hot works

Hot works are a major fire risk for property owners, and despite this, many businesses still use paper permits, which limits oversight. Zurich Smart Permit is a web-based, co-created solution that digitises the permit process, removing paper permits and offering a reliable audit trail. Currently focused on digital Hot Works permits, it aims to expand to all permit types, making the permit-to-work process simpler, more efficient, and safer for organisations of any size.

Importance of dynamic risk assessments

Dynamic risk assessments are crucial for managing risks in changing environments, enabling employees to quickly identify and address potential hazards before starting tasks. They complement general risk assessments by allowing for immediate responses to unforeseen changes.

These assessments empower employees to recognise dangers and take action to ensure safety, potentially halting work if conditions become too risky. When effectively utilised, dynamic risk assessments enhance awareness, promote collaboration, reduce incidents, and improve claims defensibility.

Dynamic risk assessments are particularly beneficial in various scenarios, including construction sites, emergency services, manufacturing, public events, healthcare, transportation, fieldwork, and security operations.

Implementation strategies

To implement dynamic risk assessments effectively, organisations should:

• Integrate them into the safety management system with clear goals and responsibilities
• Update risk assessments to identify areas needing dynamic assessments
• Establish straightforward guidelines and promote a memorable slogan for their use
• Clarify when to conduct assessments and create a simple template for post-task documentation
• Provide comprehensive training on dynamic risk assessments, covering legal requirements and empowering employees to challenge unsafe practices

Monitoring and documentation

Monitoring the effectiveness of dynamic risk assessments is essential. Organisations should evaluate their proper use, identify trends, analyse incidents, ensure documentation, and share best practices.

Thorough documentation supports claims defensibility. Organisations should ensure that the appropriateness of dynamic assessments is evaluated, employees are trained, and clear guidelines exist for documentation.

The purpose of induction training is:

• To help new employees quickly understand company procedures and integrate into their roles
• Also applicable for employees returning after a long absence

The benefits of a good induction programme are to:

• Clarify the employee's role and understanding of the organisation
• Familiarise the employee with workplace culture, procedures, and colleagues
• Define the employee’s responsibilities clearly

Key components of an induction programme:

Employment terms: Information on contracts, payment, holidays, sick leave, disciplinary procedures, and confidentiality Welfare: Details on pensions, sickness policies, and available medical services

• Company overview: Background on the company, products, markets, and roles
• Workplace introduction: Meet supervisors and colleagues, understand workplace layout and organisational structure
• Safety procedures: Information on hazardous areas, fire safety, first aid, security protocols, and substance use policies
• Training and development: Outline of development contacts, training programmes, performance reviews, and study leave options
• Pay system: Explanation of pay slips, overtime, incentive payments, and pension schemes
• Trade union staff association: Identification of union or association representatives

Induction training records:

• Induction is the starting point for ongoing employee development
• Regularly review and evaluate the programme
• Maintain consistent records using a template, documenting training content and dates, and have employees sign to confirm understanding

Health and safety culture

A strong workplace health and safety culture plays a vital role in reducing employers’ liability (EL) risk. When an organisation prioritises safety through committed leadership, active employee involvement, and continuous improvement in safety protocols, employees are more likely to follow best practices, helping to prevent accidents and injuries.

Clear communication channels for reporting hazards and incidents are also essential. Encouraging employees to speak up about potential risks and responding promptly to their feedback ensures that issues are addressed before they escalate.

Comprehensive training and well-documented safety procedures are equally important. Many employers' liability claims arise from inadequate training, particularly in manual handling, machinery use, or specialised tasks like driving forklifts or handling chemicals. By providing regular and thorough training, organisations can significantly reduce these risks.

Finally, strong emergency preparedness ensures that all employees know what to do in case of an incident. Regular drills and updated emergency plans help everyone respond effectively, minimising harm and potential claims.

Definition:

• Protects confidentiality of communications between a client and their legal representative, or with third parties in specific cases
• Owned by the client, not the legal representative

Types of privilege:

• Legal advice privilege: Covers confidential communications for legal counsel
• Litigation privilege: Applies to confidential interactions related to ongoing or anticipated litigation

Importance:

• Keeps sensitive information private during investigations or litigation
• Allows open discussions with legal counsel without fear of disclosure

How to obtain legal professional privilege:

• Ensure communications are between the client and legal adviser, primarily for legal advice
• Maintain confidentiality; sharing with unauthorised parties voids privilege
• For litigation privilege, litigation must be ongoing or anticipated, and communications must be for conducting the litigation

Maintaining privilege:

• Ensure the person communicating has the authority
• Limit involvement to authorised employees
• Consult legal advisors for internal investigations
• Focus reports on litigation preparation or legal advice
• Be cautious of document requests; seek legal advice before disclosing
• Privilege does not apply if communications are for committing fraud or a crime