Toolbox Talk: Slips, Trips and Falls

Before you start

Walk the area first and note one or two real trip or slip hazards you can point to during the talk.

Read this to your crew

Falls on the same level are one of the most common ways people get hurt at work. You do not need to be up high to break a wrist or hit your head.

Today we will look at what causes slips and trips and what each of us can do about it.

Key points

Clean up spills right away. If you cannot clean it, block it off and report it.
Keep walkways clear. Route cords and hoses away from walkways or cover them, and put tools and materials away.
Wear the right footwear. Slip-resistant soles make a big difference on wet, oily or icy surfaces.
Watch where you are going. Slow down, keep your eyes up and off your phone, and make sure you can see over what you are carrying.
Use handrails. Hold the handrail on stairs and take one step at a time.

Ask the crew

Where do people slip or trip most on this site?
What spills or leaks keep coming back?
Is the lighting good enough everywhere we walk?

Picture this

An extension cord runs across a doorway for a week. Everyone steps over it. Then a worker carrying a box through the door catches it with a foot, falls and fractures an elbow. Rerouting the cord would have taken two minutes.

Print this page to use the sign-in sheet, or skip the paper and record attendance digitally in SafetyIQ.

Name

Company / crew

Signature

Talk leader: ______________ Date: ______________ Site: ______________