Slips, trips and falls may seem trivial. We’ve all slipped on a surface, tripped over an obstacle or fallen down a step. It’s all too easy for individuals and employers to overlook the seriousness of this type of incident in the workplace. When we think of risks to our health and safety, we tend to focus on what makes the headlines: fires; building collapses; machinery and vehicle crushes; or exposure to hazardous substances. Yet, the reality is that slips and trips are the most common cause of reported workplace injuries. 

According to the UK regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),  slips, trips and falls on the same level caused almost one third (29%) of all reported non-fatal injuries at work in 2019/20. They can also lead to other types of accidents, such as falls from height or falls into machinery. It isn’t just staff who are at risk. Slips and trips cause half of all reported injuries to the public in workplaces where they have access, such as hospitals, shops and restaurants. 

Shattered lives

The HSE has long recognised the individual, organisational and societal consequences of slips, trips and falls. It even went as far as to call its last major awareness-raising campaign “shattered lives”. Unlike some common safety hazards, slips and trips aren’t limited to certain industries; they can happen to you wherever you work.

The personal consequences can be devastating. As well as suffering pain from injuries, people may experience emotional distress, and even lose their livelihood. Physical injuries from a slip, trip or fall can range from sprains, cuts and bruises to broken bones, permanent disability and sometimes death. 

In one case, a woman tripped on a hole in the linoleum floor while entering a bowling club pavilion. She fell and hit her head, and later died. In another case, a cook at a busy fast food outlet slipped on a floor that had recently been wet mopped. As he put out his hand to save himself, he pulled over a nearby deep fat fryer, which spilt 35 litres of boiling hot oil. He suffered extensive burns and needed skin grafts. Another employee at the outlet received serious burns to her right leg and ankle. 

Hidden costs

The HSE estimates that organisations lose more than 1.5 million working days each year from these types of incidents. And the costs don’t stop with lost time. There can be other more hidden costs, such as damage to plant and equipment, production delays, as well as the loss of expertise and experience. On top of this there may be other financial penalties, including fines, compensation payouts and reputational damage. 

Last year, retail giant Tesco was ordered to pay fines of £733,333 after a customer slipped on liquid leaking from refrigerator units at one of its stores. He fell and suffered multiple hip fractures. Data obtained and reported by the BBC shows Network Rail  paid out nearly £1m in the five years to 2018/19 for slips, trips and falls at its stations across the UK. The largest single payout was £39,631 after a passenger slipped on liquid at Charing Cross station.

Not inevitable  

The HSE identifies the main barriers for organisations trying to reduce slips, trips and falls as:

• employers and employees failing to take the risks seriously;
• poor understanding of how these incidents happen;
• a belief that slips and trips are inevitable – that they are simply a fact of life; and
• inadequate risk assessments and management controls.

In guidance for its inspectors, the HSE notes that “many employers do not give slips and trips the priority they deserve. They treat them as being outside their control, inevitable or simply the employee’s fault.” It goes on to state, however, that “slipping and tripping are not inevitable, unless, of course, hazards are allowed to remain uncontrolled. Effective action can be taken to dramatically reduce slipping and tripping accidents.”

Most of these actions are simple and low cost (see Ten practical steps below). But too many organisations are still falling down on basic organisational, planning and housekeeping issues, and missing the importance of human factors (such as distraction or fatigue) and worker involvement. Issuing slip-resistant footwear or putting up safety signs may seem like you are tackling the problem – and such controls have their place – but unless you tackle the causes further back in the chain, you will never achieve lasting improvements.      

Getting ‘buy-in’

In reducing the likelihood of slips, trips and falls, staff training and engagement is crucial. First, people need to understand the consequences of incidents that can often seem insignificant or even humorous. Then they need to know where the hazards are and what they can do to help prevent incidents.

The HSE’s inspector guidance advises that “getting workforce ‘buy-in’ to initiatives to reduce slips and trips is crucial” and that to obtain long term reductions “attitudes and perceptions must change”. The guidance further notes: “Sensible measures should be taken to control and minimise risk, but personal responsibility and worker participation are also essential if these measures are to be effective.”

When it comes to informing and engaging employees, EssentialSkillz can help make the difference. Our Slips, Trips and Falls course sets out the practical ways employees can work with their employers to reduce the risk. But in tackling some of the HSE’s key barriers to improvement, our online training goes further. The newly updated course sets the context, dispels myths and outlines the sometimes devastating consequences of what we all too often dismiss as inevitable, or even humorous, incidents. Like all EssentialSkillz training, the course can also be customised to meet the specific needs of your workplace and staff.

Ten practical steps 

• Design tasks to minimise potential leaks or spillages; fix any leaks from machinery or other equipment  immediately
• Plan pedestrian routes to avoid potentially contaminated areas
• Use the correct cleaning methods for the surface; don’t clean during busy times
• Choose and maintain flooring carefully – if flooring gets loose, damaged or worn, repair or replace it
• Look at the wider environment – ensure lighting is good and that any slopes or steps are easily visible
• Always ensure walkways, stairs and work areas are clear of any obstructions or trailing cables
• Select the right footwear for the environment and task
• Think about people and organise work to avoid rushing, overcrowding or distractions
• Provide and maintain the right equipment for any unavoidable work at height, and train staff in safe practices
• Involve staff in task and safety decisions, such as choosing protective footwear or altering cleaning methods

Introduction

It can be surprising to employees who work from home and the people managing them that remote working can be stressful. Because working remotely has many benefits, such as no morning commute, and employees generally have more flexibility to attend to personal matters during work hours. While these can have a positive impact on employees, it isn’t always an easy transition. Working from home can still cause stress both from normal work-related issues and new sources. Concerns can arise regarding employees’ physical, mental and emotional health if the proper support structures are not in place. 

Employers have a responsibility to take care of the health, safety and welfare of all of their employees, regardless of whether their employees are in the workplace or working remotely. There are many ways employers can combat the challenges employees might face. Employers can help by:

• understanding what situations can cause work-related stress when working remotely
• recognising symptoms of stress or other mental health issues
• implementing solutions for reducing and managing stress in employees
• encouraging employees to take care of their mental health and wellbeing when working remotely

Causes of stress when working remotely

The HSE’s Management Standards sets out six key areas of work that can increase stress, mental health issues and lower productivity if not properly managed. This can occur in both employees in the physical workplace and with remote workers. The six areas include:

• Demands – How well are employees coping with the pressures of their job, such as their workload?
• Control – Do employees have some say in their work, such as the pace of work or schedule of breaks?
• Support – Are employees getting enough support or appropriate information from colleagues or managers, such as training or feedback? 
• Relationships – Is there a positive internal culture, for example, do people feel respected and included?
• Role – Are employees clear about what their role and responsibilities are?
• Change – Are employees engaged or properly informed when the organisation is undergoing change, such as new processes or restructuring?

When trying to develop a mentally healthy workplace, organisations should focus on analysing these six areas. Online people-based risk assessments are an efficient way to analyse stress across your workforce and are particularly useful if you have remote workers. 

But on top of these key areas, remote workers have new sets of challenges. They might be having difficulties adjusting to changes in their daily routine or adapting to a new working environment. It can be difficult to block out distractions when working from home, particularly if employees work in a shared home, in a noisy area or don’t have a designated office space to work from. The reduced social interactions can also create feelings of isolation and hinder the building of workplace connections if there aren’t clear lines of communication or allocated times for colleagues to catch up with one another. While it is great to have the flexibility to attend to personal matters during work hours, the lines between home and work life can sometimes blur together, making it difficult to find the right balance and know when to switch off. 

Recognise signs of stress

As an employer, understanding what can cause work-related stress and mental health issues with your employees can help you work towards preventing and managing these stressors. But stress can still sometimes occur despite your best efforts to prevent it. It is important to be able to recognise signs of stress. 

Stress can be categorised into emotional, cognitive, behavioural, physical or organisational symptoms:

• Cognitive symptoms like memory problems, constant worrying, poor concentrations, seeing only negative outcomes and anxious thinking. Employees might have a sudden drop in performance or become unable to make decisions.
• Emotional symptoms including unhappiness, agitation, irritability, loneliness, isolation, or feelings of being overwhelmed. Employees might have difficulty accepting criticism or have lost their usual sense of confidence or humour. 
• Physical symptoms such as aches, pains, fatigue, rapid weight loss or gain, or lack of effort with their appearance.
• Behavioural symptoms include eating more or less, disturbed sleep, procrastination, unexplained time off, substance misuse, or withdrawing from other people.
• Organisational signs such as increased absence or staff turnover, or lower motivation and productivity levels.

While these signs don’t automatically mean someone is stressed, they should make you alert to the possibility. 

Supporting your remote workers

Even though you might not see your employees face-to-face on a regular basis, there are still many things you can do to promote their wellbeing when working at home. 

1. Provide clear and timely information

Employees need to know who they can contact regarding work-related questions or concerns. Employees should know who to report to regarding accidents and near misses, or get advice on concerns related to their health and safety. They should know where they can access information on benefits, training and development opportunities, contract issues, and also who to contact to get advice on computers, networks or other work equipment.

Frequently communicate available information with employees to remind them of what’s available and create a wellbeing culture by displaying your organisation’s commitment. Having a platform that can automate this communication can streamline the process and reduce administrative burden.

2. Ensure a safe working environment 

Employers need to ensure that their remote workers have a safe and comfortable working environment at home. If employees work at a computer, their health and welfare can be affected by:

• The display screen equipment (DSE) they use, including the screen, input devices such as a keyboard and software applications.
• The furniture they use, in particular, the desk and chair, but also other accessories such as a footrest.
• The immediate work environment around the DSE and furniture.
• How long they stay still, and the posture they adopt while working.

Employers must provide the appropriate equipment for remote workers and train employees on how they can keep themselves safe and comfortable. There are many ways to train your employees, but an easy, streamlined approach is through online training. An online self-risk assessment can also be helpful for employees to identify hazards related to homeworking and allow employers to assess and manage the risks. 

3. Reduce social isolation

To reduce the risk of social isolation, employers should ensure that homeworkers have the appropriate tools, such as a phone or instant messaging software, to communicate closely with colleagues. Managers should make an effort to contact their staff regularly, arrange meetings so they can stay up-to-date with any decisions or changes, and organise social events with colleagues. 

If your remote workers are geographically dispersed and unable to meet in person, think about organising online social events, such as quizzes or bingo. Or can there be more flexibility in meetings to allow for social interactions and games? For example, set aside 20 to 30 minutes a week for employees to do a ‘show and tell’ at the start of a meeting. Or spend five minutes in a morning meeting answering a question of the day.

4. Support your employees

Employees who feel supported are more likely to be engaged with their work, have increased job satisfaction, and decreased stress and mental health issues.

Employers can show their support and increase engagement with their remote workers in a variety of ways:

• Having a positive approach to interpersonal interactions – reach out to your staff regularly and see how they are doing. 
• Encourage employees to reach out and ask for help and support if they need it. They can talk to a trusted colleague, line manager, GP or medical health professional, or anyone else inside or outside the organisation. 
• Being empathetic and considerate when interacting with employees – if employees are dealing with challenges, actively listen to them and work together to find positive solutions.
• Providing mental health and wellbeing resources – employees might not always feel comfortable confiding in their manager if they are stressed or experiencing mental health problems. Offering them resources is another way to get them the help they need and show you support them. 

What employees can do to combat stress and wellbeing

Remote workers also have a responsibility to take care of their wellbeing when working remotely. Employers should offer resources and encourage employees to:

• Have a clearly defined work area and, if possible, a specific room.
• Stick to their working hours. If there is flexibility, they should try to create and keep to a schedule. Try not to read or answer emails or messages outside working hours.
• Rest properly after work to unwind.
• Set rules with family or housemates. For example, knocking before entering and keeping noise to a minimum.
• Take regular breaks, which can boost productivity and decrease stress. 
• Be proactive in building workplace relationships and make an effort to attend meetings and social events either in person or by video call.
• Implementing time management techniques to help them keep on top of their tasks and stay productive

The five ways to wellbeing is a simple method that employees can refer to in order to help maintain or boost their wellbeing. They are:

• Take Notice: Be aware of what is happening around you, of your thoughts and feelings.
• Give: Do an act of kindness for a friend, colleague or even a stranger.
• Be Active: Build physical exercise into your daily routine.
• Connect: Nurture your relationships with family, friends, colleagues and community.
• Keep Learning: Do a puzzle, learn a language or take a course.

Online Wellbeing courses can be an excellent way to educate employees and provide them with the knowledge they need to take care of their wellbeing and increase productivity when working remotely.

Conclusion

Working remotely is not risk-free. Employers have a responsibility to understand the underlying causes of work-related stress, recognise signs of stress and take proactive measures to reduce challenges for remote workers.

Online people based risk assessments can help you analyse areas of concern, while online training can help you to address them. Automation tools can help you to communicate easily with employees and show an organisation’s commitment to wellbeing without the administrative burden.

Introduction

Substances refer to anything that can cause mind-altering effects. This includes alcohol, prescription or over-the-counter medication, illegal drugs and psychoactive substances. Some people might only use substances for recreational or medical purposes, but drinking alcohol and using drugs can lead to misuse. 

A person might be misusing alcohol if, for example, they drink in a way that is harmful to their health, relationships or work. Or they might have a substance misuse problem if they are taking more than the recommended amount of prescription drugs or over-the-counter medication, or if they are using them for purposes other than those intended. Substance misuse doesn’t necessarily mean someone is addicted or dependent on a substance, but misuse could eventually lead to dependence. 

Who does it affect and to what extent?

People of all different ages, ethnicities, genders, and social and economic backgrounds can suffer from alcohol and drug problems. TUC estimated that around 1.5 million people in the UK are addicted to over-the-counter and prescription medication. The UK government estimates that 10.8 million adults in England alone consume alcohol at levels that put their health at high risk, with 1.6 million adults considered to be alcohol dependent. 

Drug and alcohol misuse can affect individuals’ health and wellbeing. They can change how we see things and behave, which can have short-term and long-term effects on our physical and mental health. Alcohol is one of the biggest causes of early deaths for people between 15 and 49 years old, resulting in about 20 deaths per day. 

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have turned to or relied on substances to cope with rising levels of stress, anxiety and other mental health issues. The charity organisation, Alcohol Change UK, found that one in three drinkers were drinking more or at high-risk levels since the start of the pandemic. Addiction rehabilitation services are also worried about more relapses due to social isolation and lack of accessibility to support services.

How does this impact the workplace?

Substance misuse has wider societal implications, including in the workplace. Drugs and alcohol misuse can harm organisations in several ways, for example:

• Increased safety risks, leading to more accidents and near misses.
• Loss of productivity – estimates show that about £7.3 billion is lost per year in the UK from decreased productivity due to alcohol alone. 
• Higher absenteeism – 3 to 5% of workplaces absences are because of alcohol.
• Financial and reputational damage.
• Legal concerns over employee behaviour.
• A decrease in morale and employee retention.

A person doesn’t necessarily have to be misusing a substance or dependent on it for it to have a negative impact on the organisation. For example, an employee could be taking prescription medication according to medical guidelines, but which causes them to be unproductive and unfit to safely carry out their work tasks.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, a study found that almost half of respondents have left work early to have a drink, and around the same number of people had had an alcoholic drink while working.

How can employers reduce the risks?

While employers generally don’t get involved in employees’ private lives, they have a legal responsibility to protect everyone’s health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974. 

There are four things you can do to help protect employees’ health and safety and reduce the risks of harm in the workplace.

1. Have a clear drug and alcohol policy

Your organisation should have a drug and alcohol policy outlining information such as:

• What substances are and what substance misuse means.
• The risks of consuming alcohol or using drugs.
• Signs that might indicate substance misuse or dependence.
• Employee responsibilities and the law on drugs and alcohol at work.
• The impact of drug and alcohol misuse on the organisation.
• What to do if an employee feels they are misusing drugs or alcohol.
• How the organisation will help and support the employee.
• Situations that would require the organisation to take disciplinary action, for example, if an employee is dealing drugs at work.
• When and in what circumstances the organisation would need to carry out testing or searches.

This policy will ensure that substance misuse issues are dealt with consistently and effectively so everyone remains safe and healthy at work. This policy should also be regularly reviewed and updated where necessary. 

2. Use online training to build awareness 

Your policy should outline all of the necessary information employees need to know about drugs and alcohol at work. But sending out a policy to all of your staff doesn’t ensure that they read it or necessarily understand all of the information.

You can help ensure compliance and understanding of the material – therefore, helping to prevent and manage substance misuse at work – by rolling out online training. The training can include the information outlined in your policy and any additional information using interactions, scenarios and imagery to engage your workforce.

The EssentialSkillz Drugs and Alcohol at Work eLearning course covers the main points in a drug and alcohol policy helping people:

• Create healthier habits around alcohol consumption.
• Recognise signs of substance misuse.
• Know where they can get help and support if they have or believe they are misusing substances.

Like all EssentialSkillz courses, our Drugs and Alcohol at work course can be customised to meet your needs, enabling your workforce to understand the specific policies and procedures you have developed for your organisation.

3. Align policies with organisational culture

Many policies will highlight the risks of drinking alcohol and may discourage coming into work hungover. But consider how the information in your policy aligns with the organisational culture. Does your organisation encourage teams to go to the pub after work, or organise social events that mainly involve alcohol? 

Your organisational culture needs to reflect what is in the drug and alcohol policy. 

A drinking culture in the workplace, where most social events involve alcohol, can increase the likelihood of substance misuse, and be counterproductive to promoting a safe and healthy work environment. 

A study found that 60% of respondents felt virtual happy hours with colleagues contributed to drinking more during the Covid-19 pandemic.

4. Provide support

If an employee states that they are misusing substances or if substance misuse becomes a workplace problem (for example, someone regularly comes to work under the influence of alcohol), employers should aim to take a supportive, constructive approach, where possible. Substance misuse and dependence are considered medical problems and should be handled the same way as other medical or psychological conditions. You should:

• Encourage the employee to get additional support from the HR department, the company’s occupational health adviser or the employee assistance programme.
• Suggest they get help from their GP or a specialist charity or organisation for advice, support or treatment.
• Consider giving them some time off to work through the problem.
• Think about whether the substance misuse could be prompted by workplace problems (for example, stress from unreasonable deadlines or bullying at work), and then work with the employee to improve the situation.

While employers should first try to take a supportive approach, sometimes disciplinary action might be necessary, for example, if they broke the law at work, or it resulted in gross misconduct at work. 

Conclusion

Drug and alcohol misuse can affect personal health and wellbeing, but it also negatively impacts teams, organisations and wider society. Employers can take proactive steps to reduce the risks of substance misuse in the workplace by creating a drug and alcohol policy and ensuring understanding of the material by enrolling staff on online awareness training. 

But organisational efforts don’t end with policies and training. Employers must ensure their policies are enforced and reflected in the organisation’s culture and practices, and that cases of substance misuse are handled appropriately using a supportive and constructive approach.