Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

monitoring and review
– carry out regular safety 
audits of cleaning and housekeeping procedures 
and include trip hazards in safety surveys. Check 
on accident records to see whether there has been 
an improvement or if an accident black spot may be 
identifi ed.
Slip and trip accidents are a major problem for large 
retail stores both for customers and employees. The 
provision of non-slip fl ooring, a good standard of lighting 
and minimizing the need to block aisles during the 
re-stocking of merchandise are typical measures that 
many stores use to reduce such accidents. Other 
measures include the wearing of suitable footwear 
by employees, adequate handrails on stairways, the 
highlighting of any fl oor level changes and procedures 
to ensure a quick and effective response to any 
reports of fl oor damage or spillages. Good housekeep-
ing procedures are essential. The design of the store 
layout and any associated warehouse can also ensure 
a reduction in all types of accidents. Many of these 
measures are valid for a range of workplaces.
9.3.2 Falls from work at height
These may be controlled by the use of suitable guardrails 
and barriers and also by the application of the hierarchy 
of controls discussed in Chapters 6 and 16 which is:
➤
remove the possibility of falling a distance that could 
cause personal injury (e.g. by undertaking the work 
at ground level)
Figure 9.3
Falling from a height – tower scaffold.

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Movement of people and vehicles – hazards and control
133
➤
protect against the hazard of falling a distance that 
could cause personal injury (e.g. by using handrails)
➤
stop the person from falling a distance that could 
cause personal injury (e.g. by the provision of safety 
harnesses)
➤
mitigate the consequences of falling a distance that 
could cause personal injury (e.g. by the use of air 
bags).
The principal means of preventing falls of people or 
materials includes the use of fencing, guardrails, toe 
boards, working platforms, access boards and ladder 
hoops. Safety nets and safety harnesses should only 
be used when all other possibilities are not practical. 
The use of banisters on open sides of stairways and 
handrails fi tted on adjacent walls will also help to pre-
vent people from falling. Holes in fl oors and pits should 
always be fenced or adequately covered. Precautions 
should be taken when working on fragile surfaces (see 
Chapter 16 for details).
Permanent staircases are also a source of accidents 
included within this category of falling from a height 
and the following design and safety features will help to 
reduce the risk of such accidents:
➤
adequate width of the stairway, depth of the tread 
and provision of landings and banisters or handrails 
and intermediate rails. The treads and risers should 
always be of uniform size throughout the stair-
case and designed to meet Building Regulations 
requirements for angle of incline (i.e. steepness of 
staircase)
➤
provision of non-slip surfaces and refl ective edging
➤
adequate 
lighting
➤
adequate 
maintenance
➤
special or alternative provision for disabled people 
(for example, personnel elevator at the side of the 
staircase).
Great care should be used when people are loading or 
unloading vehicles, as far as possible people should avoid 
climbing onto vehicles or their loads. For example sheet-
ing of lorries should be carried out in designated places 
using properly designed access equipment.