How to Conduct a Slip Risk Assessment in Your Workplace: A Step-by-Step Guide

Slips and trips account for over a third of all reported major injuries in UK workplaces. This comes from HSE statistics. For facilities managers, conducting a thorough slip risk assessment isn’t just about compliance. It’s about protecting your workforce and reducing the disruption that follows preventable accidents.

This guide walks you through the process of evaluating slip hazards in your facility. We’ll cover everything from initial identification through to implementing effective controls.

Understanding Your Legal Obligations

Before diving into the practical steps, understand the regulatory framework. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 place a legal duty on employers. You must assess risks to workers and others who might be affected by your activities.

The HSE’s “Slips and Trips: Guidance for Employers” provides the foundation for workplace safety practices. Your slip risk assessment must be:

• Suitable and sufficient – covering all areas where slip hazards exist
• Documented – written down if you employ five or more people
• Reviewed regularly – especially after incidents or changes to the workplace
• Acted upon – with control measures implemented based on findings

Failure to conduct proper assessments can result in enforcement notices and prosecution. It also increases liability if an incident occurs. More importantly, poor assessment puts your workforce at genuine risk.

Step 1: Identify Slip Hazards in Your Facility

The first phase involves systematically identifying where hazards exist. This requires a methodical walk-through of your entire facility. Pay particular attention to high-risk areas.

Common Slip Hazard Locations

Start by examining these typical problem areas:

• Entrance zones – where rainwater, snow, and debris are tracked inside
• Production areas – where processes may create contamination from oils, food products, or chemicals
• Washrooms and changing facilities – inherently wet environments
• Loading bays and delivery areas – transition zones between indoor and outdoor surfaces
• Stairways and ramps – where gravity increases slip consequences
• Canteen and break areas – where spills are common
• Cold stores and refrigerated areas – where condensation creates hazards

During your inspection, look for both permanent hazards and temporary conditions. Permanent hazards include unsuitable flooring. Temporary conditions include cleaning activities or weather-related contamination.

The Four Key Slip Factors

The HSE framework identifies four critical elements that contribute to slip risk:

1. Floor surface – material type, finish, and condition
2. Contamination – presence of water, oils, food residues, or other substances
3. Cleaning regime – methods, frequency, and products used
4. Environmental factors – lighting, drainage, weather protection, and footwear

Document each factor as you survey each area. Photographs provide valuable evidence. They also help track changes over time.

Step 2: Assess Who Might Be Harmed and How

Identifying vulnerable groups helps prioritise control measures. Consider these factors:

• Frequency of exposure – workers in an area all day face greater risk than occasional visitors
• Employee demographics – older workers or those with mobility issues may be more vulnerable
• Visitor types – contractors, delivery drivers, and customers may be unfamiliar with site hazards
• Shift patterns – night workers may face different risks due to reduced lighting or staffing
• Task-based risks – workers carrying loads have reduced visibility and balance

For each identified hazard, estimate the potential severity of injury. A slip on a flat warehouse floor differs significantly from one at the top of stairs. It also differs from slips near moving machinery.

Step 3: Evaluate Risks and Determine Control Measures

With hazards identified, apply the hierarchy of controls. This determines appropriate interventions. This facilities management principle prioritises elimination over protection.

Hierarchy of Slip Controls

Elimination and Substitution

Can you eliminate the hazard entirely? Examples include:

• Re-routing pedestrian traffic away from contamination sources
• Changing processes to prevent spillages
• Substituting less hazardous substances

Engineering Controls

Where elimination isn’t possible, engineering solutions should be your next consideration. These provide effective workplace safety improvements:

• Installing appropriate entrance matting systems to capture moisture and debris before it spreads
• Improving drainage in wet process areas
• Applying anti-slip treatments to existing flooring
• Installing anti-fatigue mats in standing work areas with suitable slip resistance
• Adding handrails to stairs and ramps

Administrative Controls

These include procedural changes:

• Implementing regular cleaning schedules with appropriate methods
• Establishing spill response protocols
• Restricting access during cleaning
• Installing adequate signage
• Conducting regular inspections

Personal Protective Equipment

Footwear is the final line of defence:

• Specifying slip-resistant footwear for high-risk areas
• Ensuring footwear policies are enforced
• Providing appropriate footwear where necessary

Measuring Slip Resistance

For critical areas, consider objective slip resistance testing. The HSE recommends pendulum testing to British Standard BS 7976. This provides a Pendulum Test Value (PTV). Generally:

• PTV of 36+ indicates low slip potential
• PTV of 25-35 indicates moderate risk
• PTV below 25 indicates high slip potential

This testing isn’t mandatory for all workplaces. However, the data provides defensible evidence of due diligence. It also helps prioritise interventions in your slip risk assessment.

Step 4: Record Your Findings and Implement Changes

Your slip risk assessment must be documented. Create a register that includes:

• Location – specific area or zone
• Hazard identified – precise description
• Persons at risk – who and how many
• Existing controls – what’s already in place
• Risk rating – likelihood and severity
• Additional controls required – what needs implementing
• Action owner – who’s responsible
• Target completion date – realistic timeframe
• Review date – when to reassess

Don’t delay implementation for low-cost, high-impact solutions. Entrance matting can be installed quickly. It provides immediate reduction in contamination transfer. More complex interventions like flooring replacement require planning. But they must still proceed with clear timelines.

Step 5: Review and Monitor Effectiveness

A slip risk assessment isn’t a one-time exercise. Establish a review cycle that includes regular checks and updates.

Regular Scheduled Reviews

Conduct full reassessments:

• Annually as a minimum
• After any slip incident
• When workplace changes occur (new processes, layout changes, different materials)
• When monitoring reveals increased near-miss reports

Ongoing Monitoring

Between formal reviews, maintain vigilance through:

• Daily visual inspections by supervisors
• Incident and near-miss reporting and investigation
• Staff feedback mechanisms
• Cleaning schedule compliance checks

Learning from Incidents

When slips occur despite controls, treat them as assessment failures. Investigate thoroughly:

• What was the immediate cause?
• Were existing controls adequate?
• Were controls properly implemented?
• What additional measures are needed?

This feedback loop ensures your workplace safety approach evolves. It adapts to your facility’s actual risk profile.

Common Slip Risk Assessment Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced facilities managers can fall into these traps:

Generic assessments – Copying templates without site-specific detail provides no genuine protection. Your assessment must reflect your actual workplace conditions.

Focusing only on obvious hazards – The slip that occurs during night cleaning may not be apparent during a daytime walk-through. The same applies to unexpected weather conditions.

Inadequate consultation – Workers often know where problems exist. Involve supervisors, cleaners, and floor staff in the assessment process.

Overreliance on signage – Warning signs don’t eliminate hazards. They’re a last resort, not a primary control.

Ignoring maintenance – Even the best entrance matting loses effectiveness when saturated or damaged. Include maintenance requirements in your assessment.

Treating assessment as compliance theatre – The goal isn’t paperwork. It’s prevention. If your assessment doesn’t drive tangible improvements, it’s failed its purpose.

Conclusion: Making Your Workplace Safer

A thorough slip risk assessment forms the foundation of effective HSE compliance. It protects both your workforce and your organisation. By following this systematic approach, you’ll significantly reduce slip incidents in your facility.

The approach is straightforward. First, identify hazards. Second, evaluate risks. Third, implement controls. Finally, maintain ongoing vigilance.

The process needn’t be overwhelming. Start with high-risk areas. Implement quick wins like proper entrance matting and improved cleaning protocols. Then systematically address remaining hazards. Document everything. Review regularly. Treat each assessment as an opportunity to genuinely improve workplace safety rather than simply satisfy regulatory requirements.

Remember that effective facilities management balances compliance with practicality. Your slip risk assessment should drive decisions that make operational sense while protecting people. When you prevent slips, you reduce absence and maintain productivity. You also demonstrate the duty of care your workers deserve.