New phase of “Shattered Lives” campaign

This month the HSE launched a new phase in its Shattered Lives campaign aimed at reducing the most common cause of major workplace injury in Britain – slips, trips and falls. More workplace deaths are triggered by falls from height than any other cause, and slips and trips are estimated to cost society as a whole an estimated £800 million a year.

More than 10,000 employees suffered a major injury as a result of a slip or trip at work in 2008-09, while more than 4,000 employees suffered a major injury as a result of a fall from height that year.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact of slips, trips and falls in the workplace and directs people to the new Shattered Lives website for practical advice and guidance. It is targeted at sectors with a high number of accidents each year: health and social care, education, food manufacturing, food retail, catering and hospitality, building and plant maintenance, and construction.

The new campaign website includes information on reducing the risks easily and cost effectively, case studies, an online tool (STEP) and a work at height access equipment toolkit (WAIT). Advice ranges from how to deal with spills and other slip risks, to the importance of using ladders correctly to reduce the risk of falling from height. The website is at www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives