Falls on Flat Surfaces: Reducing the Chance of Injury

2 June 2024
By Goran

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is full of sobering statistics. Maybe none more so than the fact that trips and falls are Australia’s leading cause of injury hospitalisation and death, representing 43% of injury hospitalisations and 42% of injury deaths. Many of these falls are likely to be from heights (both large and small) but a large proportion are also from slips and trips at work.

Many years ago we wrote about the risk of falls and injury at work, but with statistics still showing this is a prevalent issue at work, we thought it a good time to remind everyone of the risks and the consequences. Because, despite a growing awareness of the relevance and importance of site and workplace safety, more can still be done to reduce injury and harm. Furthermore whilst workplace safety is a requirement under Australian law, it has a proven effect in boosting productivity, employee retention and, end product quality.

Slips and Falls are more Prevalent

When you read the first statistic, did you think Falls from heights? Falling from a balcony, off scaffolding, from a ladder etc.? Both are sadly correct, but scarily, over half of all hospital injuries from Falls are from trips and slips on flat surfaces and down stairs, and 64% of them are in patients younger than 65 years old.  More sobering again in 2020-21 when the figures were compiled, 353 deaths occurred in Australia from slipping, tripping or stumbling on the same level (Source AIHW).

Obviously, not all injuries or deaths will be workers at workplaces, however, a significant proportion will involve people slipping and tripping either whilst at work OR visiting businesses where they do slip. The reasons can be many – slippery surfaces, uneven surfaces, poorly signed areas of risk, inadequate control measures and so on and so forth.  Whatever the reason, whether it an employee or visitor to the space, the damage and burden a workplace injury can cause, both for the individual involved and the business (lost productivity, increased insurance premiums, fines and penalties, business reputation, to name but a few) is significant.

From our perspective, it is frustrating that the issues causing businesses and employees so much angst could be often avoided, through means as simple as getting your flooring solution right.

Commercial and Industrial Flooring Hazards

There are various reasons a level surface becomes unsafe. Whether it is age and wear and tear that leads to cracks and uneven surfaces, or surfaces that become slippery due to constant foot and mechanical traffic, these issues lead the floor to be a hazard and a risk to those walking on them. In factories and warehouses floors that lack line markings that denote areas of risk, or where surfaces lack the appropriate R-rating the risk of injury is greatly increased. We all think that concrete is a solid, safe and robust flooring surface, but simple things such as grease from machines, food waste or water can make the surface slippery and hazardous. Something as simple as someone walking and turning too quickly, to them catching their shoe on a crack can lead to falls and trips that end up in injury.

Our advice to business owners, facilities managers or maintenance personnel is to undertake scheduled and regular audits of your floor (once a quarter perhaps) to identify potential and common flooring problems including:

• Cracks and separation of the flooring surface
• Protrusions of tiles
• Slippery surfaces due to wear and tear
• High-traffic areas which have been known to have falls
• Bunded areas that have worn or missing line markings
• Machinery that is leaking or prone to shedding water
• Staining or ponding of water
• Walkways or incline ramps that lack signage or rails
• Areas that are frequented by non-workers (Car showrooms or other visitor facilities for example) which lack safety mechanisms
• The use of heavy machinery such as forklifts that often leads to uneven surfaces over time.

Improving Floor Safety at Work

There is a lot that employers and facility managers can do to improve workplace safety, most of which is built around educating employees and staff and reminding them that when they see a floor in need of repair, they don’t wait to report it, but file a note immediately.  The onus thenobviously shifts to you as the owner/manager. We recognise that sometimes ignorance is bliss, but that lasts only as long as there are no injuries. If an injury occurs then you will likely rue the day you failed to take note, prepare or mitigate the chance of an incident happening in the first place.

As the business owner we know it is hard to not see the immediate expense of having it fixed, but ultimately, the savings you make in keeping your employees, customers, and business safe will far outstrip the short-term costs. Our advice – as consultants – is to suggest that as soon as you see the first signs of a safety risk on the floor, get help — contact us straight away to discuss your options. the good news is though, there are many. From repairs to existing surfaces, through to the replacement of flooring surfaces with epoxies or MMAs, we can implement the right solution for you.

Ultimately, our advice to you is simple: Workplace safety saves lives and protects your most important business asset – your employees, your customers and you.