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Slips, trips and falls risk assessment

Slips, trips and falls on the same level are the most common cause of workplace injury in most sectors, and they are treated as trivial until someone breaks a hip. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 a employer must manage the risk, and almost all of it comes down to a small number of causes: contamination, obstacles, surface changes, lighting and footwear.

Who it's for: health and safety managers, facilities and cleaning managers, retail and hospitality supervisors, healthcare and aged care managers, and anyone running a site with public access.

Free to use and adapt · Last updated 2026-08-02 · No email required

Assessment details

Area assessed
Who uses it Workers, visitors, patients, customers, contractors
Anyone at higher risk of harm from a fall Older people, people with mobility or vision impairment, people carrying loads
Incidents and near misses in this area over the last twelve months
Assessor, date and review date

Step 1 - Contamination, the largest single cause

Almost every slip involves something on the floor that should not be there. Find where it comes from rather than only cleaning it up.

  • Water tracked in from entrances during wet weather, and how far it travels
  • Spills from food and drink, and how quickly they are found
  • Process leaks: oil, coolant, product, condensation from plant or refrigeration
  • Cleaning itself: wet floors during and after cleaning, and residue left behind
  • Dust, powder or granular material on smooth floors
  • Outdoor contamination: leaves, mud, ice, moss and algae on paths
  • Sources identified and controlled, rather than only cleaned repeatedly

Step 2 - Floor surface and changes in level

  • Surface has adequate slip resistance for the contamination it actually gets
  • Surface is suitable for the footwear used and the tasks performed
  • No damaged, lifted, curled or missing flooring, tiles or carpet
  • No unexpected changes in level, and any single step is highly visible
  • Ramps have a suitable gradient, slip-resistant surface and handrails where needed
  • Transitions between surfaces do not create a sudden change in grip
  • Entrance matting is long enough to actually dry footwear, and lies flat
  • Outdoor surfaces drain properly and do not pond

Step 3 - Obstacles and housekeeping

  • Walkways clear of stock, deliveries, bins, equipment and boxes
  • Cables and hoses routed away from walkways, or covered where crossing is unavoidable
  • Storage has enough capacity that items do not end up on the floor
  • Deliveries have a designated area that is not a walkway
  • Cleaning equipment is not left in walkways
  • Doors do not open directly into a walkway blind
  • Trolleys and equipment have designated parking
  • Housekeeping is somebody's defined responsibility, and is checked

Step 4 - Lighting, visibility and stairs

  • Lighting adequate throughout, including at surface changes and after hours
  • No glare or deep shadow that hides a level change
  • Failed lights are reported and replaced promptly
  • Emergency lighting works on escape routes
  • Stair treads are even, in good repair and have visible nosings
  • Handrails are secure, continuous and on both sides where needed
  • Stairs are not used for storage
  • People are not required to carry loads that obscure their view of the floor
  • External paths and car parks lit adequately for out-of-hours use

Step 5 - Footwear, behaviour and work pressure

  • Footwear appropriate to the surface and contamination, and specified where it matters
  • Slip-resistant footwear provided where it is the control, at no cost to workers
  • Footwear condition checked, since worn soles lose grip
  • Work pace does not require people to rush across contaminated floors
  • Carrying practices do not obscure vision or occupy both hands on stairs
  • Distraction from phones or devices while walking is addressed
  • Cleaning is scheduled to avoid peak foot traffic where possible
  • Wet floor signs are used, removed once dry, and not left out permanently

Risk table and actions

LocationHazardWho is at riskRatingControlOwnerDue
       
       
       
       
       
How to use it

Getting the most out of this template

  • Walk the area in the conditions that cause the problem: wet weather, peak trading, after dark, during cleaning.
  • Trace contamination back to its source. Repeated mopping of the same spot is a sign the source is still there.
  • Map your incident and near-miss reports onto a floor plan. Clusters point at causes that a walkthrough misses.
  • Do not let permanent wet floor signs become the control. A sign that is always out stops being read.
  • Fix the surface where contamination cannot be eliminated, since slip resistance is the control that works without anyone remembering to do anything.

This template is general information, not legal advice. Requirements differ by jurisdiction and industry; check the guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and seek advice for your specific circumstances.

Questions

Frequently asked

Are slips and trips really a serious risk?
They are consistently among the most common causes of workplace injury, and while many result in minor harm, the tail is severe: fractures, head injuries and long absences, particularly for older workers. They also injure visitors and customers, which brings a separate exposure.
Is a wet floor sign enough?
Only as a temporary measure while a spill is cleaned. A sign relies on people seeing, reading and acting on it, which puts it at the bottom of the hierarchy. Signs left out permanently are ignored and can indicate an uncontrolled source that should have been fixed.
How do we know if a floor is slippery enough to be a problem?
Slip resistance can be measured, and standards exist for surface ratings in different environments. Your incident and near-miss reports are the cheaper first indicator: repeated slips in one spot mean the surface is not adequate for the contamination it gets, whatever its rating says.
Do we have to provide slip-resistant footwear?
Where footwear is the control you have identified, it must be provided at no cost to the worker, the same as any other PPE. Bear in mind footwear is a low-level control that depends on wearing and on sole condition, so it should sit alongside surface and contamination controls rather than replacing them.
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