Data Snapshot - Slips, Trips and Falls
Background
Many injuries in the workplace are caused by slips, trips, and falls. These injuries are generally due to poor housekeeping practices such as (WorkSafe ACT 2022):
- spills of liquid or solid material,
- wet cleaning methods,
- wind-driven rain through doorways,
- ridges in floors or carpets,
- uneven surfaces, and
- worn floor coverings or broken tiles, etc.
According to Type of occurrence classification system (TOOCS), when the injuries are a direct result of the action of falling, or in trying to recover from a fall, they can be classified into three (3) groups. This includes intentional jumps as well as unintentional falls (SWA 2022a):
- Falls from a height:
- A fall from ground level to below ground level,
- landing awkwardly after a jump from a height,
- falling off an animal, and
- fall downstairs, etc.
- Falls on the same level:
- all slips, trips, stumbles, steps, and jumps where a fall does not follow,
- falls of short distances, such as off a curb or into a gutter,
- falls upstairs, and
- ‘fall’ with no further description.
- Stepping, kneeling, or sitting on objects:
- stepping on nails, drawing pins,
- jumping onto objects, and
- striking the floor or an object on the floor when kneeling.
The ACT’s WHS laws require persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) must identify slip, trip, and fall hazards that have the potential to cause injury. The PCBUs should consider all possible sources of information that could establish how workers may be exposed to slip, trip, or fall hazards including (WorkSafe ACT 2022):
- completing a workplace inspection,
- reviewing injury records, and
- consulting workers.
Download the infographic versions here:
National data
In 2020-21, a total of 30,039 serious compensation claims were made under the mechanism of falls, trips and slips of a person which is 23% of all serious claims. The percentage of serious claims by females (26%) were more than by males (21%). The most common agency of injury for falls, trips and slips of a person are environmental agencies (55%) and non-powered hand tools, appliances, and equipment (18%).
Injuries to knees accounted for one-fifth of claims (20%) involving falls, trips, and slips followed by ankle (18%), upper or lower back (11%) and shoulder (8%).
Number of serious claims between 2000-01 and 2019-20 increased by 24% for the mechanism of falls on the same level, whereas it decreased by 21% for the mechanism of falls from a height. The rise in median compensation claims payments from 2000–01 to 2019–20 for falls, trips and slips of a person, was by 183% from $5,500 in 2000–01 to $15,600 in 2019–20 (SWA 2022b).
In 2021, 19 workers died because of falls from a height: a slight decrease from 23 fatalities in 2020 and lower than the 5-year average of 22 fatalities. Over the last 5 years, falls from a height mostly involved falls from a roof (13%), ladders (13%) and opening in floors, walls, or ceilings (8%) (SWA 2022c).
ACT data
WorkSafe ACT inspectors undertook 1,083 workplace visits in 2021-22 financial year and 766 workplace visits were conducted between July 2022 and March 2023.
Between 2017-18 and 2020-21 a total of 3,062 falls, trips, and slips of a person workers’ compensation claims were accepted from the private sector and public sector combinedwith 68% of falls on the same level, 17% of falls from a height and 15% of stepping, kneeling, or sitting on objects. More than half of all accepted falls, trips, and slips of a person compensation claim during this period were made by men (51%).
Between 2017-18 and 2020-21, the industry with the largest number of accepted workers' compensation claims for falls, trips, and slips of a person was health care and social assistance, accounting for 32% of total claims, followed by construction with 23% and retail trade with 16%.
Similar to the national data, between 2017-18 and 2020-21 the most common bodily part affected by falls, trips, and slips of a person were ankle (19%), knee (18%) and shoulder (7%).
Between 2017-18 and 2020-21, the age group with the largest number of accepted workers' compensation claims for falls, trips, and slips was between 45-54 with 22%, followed by age group between 25-34 with 21% and 35-44 with 19%.
WorkSafe ACT's response
Between October 2020 and March 2023, WorkSafe ACT inspectors have conducted workplace visits or provided advice in response to 248 complaints, or 159 notifiable incidents related to falls, trips, and slips of a person. They have integrated questions about workplace falls, trips, and slips of a person into the checklist when inspecting worksites.
During this period, WorkSafe ACT has issued 273 improvement notices and 286 prohibition notices against s78 and s79 of the WHS regulations for failures to manage risks associated with falls, trips, and slips of a person. Out of these 559 notices, 415 of them were issued during proactive campaigns visits, 129 from complaints and 15 from notifiable incident.
Additionally, 297 improvement and prohibitions notices issued were referenced under various other sections; inspectors also asked the PCBUs to refer to Worksafe ACT codes of practice “Managing the risk of falls at workplace (WHS 2020)”.
WorkSafe ACT has also published a guide to managing the risk of workplace falls, trips, and slips of a person on its website.
Resources for PCBUs and workers
WorkSafe ACT, Slips, trips and falls
WorkSafe ACT, Slips, trips and falls in the construction industry
Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks
Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities
Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Managing the risk of falls at workplaces
References
ACT claims data provided by Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations Division, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (private sector and ACPTS claims only), accessed 18 April 2023.
WHS 2020, Work Health and Safety (Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice) Approval 2020, accessed 20 April 2023.
WorkSafe ACT 2022, Slips, trips and falls, accessed 20 April 2023.
SWA 2022a, Type of occurrence classification system (TOOCS) 3rd Edition May 2008, accessed 20 April 2023.
SWA 2022b, Australian workers’ compensation statistics 2020-2021, accessed 12 April 2023.
SWA 2022c, Work-related traumatic injury fatalities Australia 2021, accessed 14 April 2023.
On this page