LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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SPILLING THE TRUTH ON SPILLAGES

Presented By New Pig UK

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE – AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

Liquid spills in the workplace lead directly to slips and falls which kill and injure.

Their cost to a company’s reputation, operations and profitability is considerable too.  This paper details the hazards facing your operation and the products and processes developed to help you mitigate them. 

THIS PRESENTATION IS LIKELY TO BE OF SPECIAL INTEREST IF YOU HOLD ANY OF THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:

Maintenance Manager

Technical Specialist

Operations or Production Manager

Engineer

Purchasing Officer

Stores Manager

Administrator

Company Executive or Director

Laboratory Technician

Warehouse Manager

Environmental Health and Safety Manager

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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Statistics show thatACCIDENTS CAUSED BY LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE DON’T JUST INJURE PEOPLE.

They damage an organisation’s reputation and can hamper their operation too. Add to this potential law suits and expensive compensation payouts and this becomes one class of accident you’ll want to side-step.

SPILLING THE TRUTH ON SPILLAGES

• Slip, trip and fall incidents in the UK workplace cost 40 workers their lives in 2009.1

• Slips, trips and falls are the single most common cause of major injury in the UK workplace.2

• 95% of major slips result in broken bones. 2

• Slip and fall injuries account for 33% of all major injuries reported.3

• Nearly 11,000 major slip or fall incidents are recorded each year.4

• Slip and fall accidents cost employers more than £512 million per year.2

• Slip and fall accidents cost the health service £133 million per year. 2

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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1 HR Review 8/2/20102 Health and Safety Executive3 Westminster City Council

As the number-one cause of workplace injuries, slips and falls are a major driver of health and safety regulations.

AS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE EXPLAINS..

Legal actions brought as a result of an injury can be extremely damaging to business, especially where the public are involved.

HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ACT 1974

THE MANAGEMENT OF H&S AT WORK REGS 1999

THE WORKPLACE REGULATIONS 1992

Pig points can go here to give emphasis to data etc.

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

TIP:

In extreme cases, consumers have even organised demonstrations and product boycotts to punish those organisations seen as neglectful.

DAMAGE TO YOUR REPUTATION

DAMAGE TO YOUR OPERATION

DAMAGE TO YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Pig points can go here to give emphasis to data etc.

In the event of an accident, it’s not just the risk of prosecution you need to worry about.

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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ADDITIONAL RISKS TO YOUR ORGANISATION

A 4-STEP PROCESSSlips and falls occur when a contaminant intervenes between the floor and the person using it. Clean, dry surfaces normally provide sound footing – but liquid spills can transform these into dangerous and even deadly hazards.

Eliminating slips and falls caused by liquid spills therefore becomes a 4-step process:

REMEMBER:

For every major slip accident, there are likely to be 40 resulting in more minor injuries or no injuries at all.

IDENTIFY THE RISK OF SLIP INCIDENTS ACROSS EACH AREA.DEVELOP WAYS TO PREVENT LIQUIDS FROM CONTACTING FLOORS.DEVELOP WAYS TO CONTROL AND CONTAIN LIQUID SPILLS.EDUCATE AND TRAIN TO SUSTAIN BEST PRACTICE.

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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TOWARDS A MORE SUREFOOTED WORKPLACE

Criteria for identifying risk should include: • Amounts of liquid likely to come into contact with the floor• Types of liquid and the specific hazards they pose• Available cleaning procedures• How much foot traffic the area receives, and previous slip accidents that have occurred within it.

Areas you may need to examine include:

REMEMBER:

Take an in-depth look at your workplace, examining where you use, store, transport and dispose of liquids.

Each area should be assessed for potential risks.

Inside• Battery-Storage Areas• Drum-Storage Areas• Laboratories• Office Areas• Manufacturing Areas

Outside• Loading Docks• Smoking Areas• Entranceways• Car Parks• Outdoor Storage Areas

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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IDENTIFY THE RISK

QUICK TIP:

Catching leaks from machinery, drums and other sources before they reach walkways is essential.

PRODUCTS DESIGNED TO CONTAIN SPILLSI.E. ABSORBENT SOCKS, DRIP TRAYS AND ABSORBENT PILLOWS

PRODUCTS DESIGNED TO CAPTURE SPILLSI.E. ABSORBENT MATS, WIPES, ENTRANCE MATS AND SPILL KITS

ADDITIONAL SAFETY PRODUCTSI.E. ANTI SLIP MATS, SLIP RESISTANT PAINT AND ANTI SLIP TAPE

Even a minor liquid spill can pose a major slip hazard. So it is essential all spill events are quickly contained – ideally before the liquid comes in to contact with the floor.

Use a combination of:

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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CONTAIN THE HAZARD

QUICK TIP:

Catching leaks from machinery, drums and other sources before they reach walkways is essential.

PRODUCTS DESIGNED TO CONTAIN SPILLSI,E.ABSORBENT SOCKS, DRIP TRAYS AND ABSORBENT PILLOWS

PRODUCTS DESIGNED TO CAPTURE SPILLSI.E. ABSORBENT MATS, WIPES, ENTRANCE MATS AND SPILL KITS

ADDITIONAL SAFETY PRODUCTSI.E. ANTI SLIP MATS, SLIP RESISTANCE PAINT AND ANTI SLIP TAPE

Absorbent mats and spill kits help contain liquid spills, preventing slips and falls in the workplace. You are also advised to develop your own spill response plan.

Five factors to consider when choosing absorbent mats:

THE PRECISE TYPE OF LIQUIDS TO BE ABSORBED

THE VOLUME OF LIQUIDS TO BE ABSORBED

LEVELS OF LIQUID RETENTION

REQUIRED PRODUCT DURABILITY

REQUIRED GRIPPING CHARACTERISTICS

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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ABSORBING THE RISK

A comprehensive spill response mitigates not only the risk of slips and falls but also other health and environmental hazards too.  

QUICK TIP:

Absorbent mats with a strong microstructure are specially designed to soak up more liquid before they become saturated.

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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SPILL RESPONSE MATTERS

ALWAYS REMEMBERResearch by the Health and Safety Executive shows that involving employees in your planning reduces accidents by a quarter.2

DO THE SIMPLE THINGS REALLY WELL

Creating a workplace in which liquid spills are less likely to occur or are less likely to cause slips & falls, requires a proactive approach by employers and employees alike.

SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE IS LEARNED BEHAVIOUR

REPLACE DO’S AND DON’TS ’WITH WHY

USE ABSORBENT SOCKS NOT CLOTHS

ALWAYS BE PRO-ACTIVE FROM A LEADERSHIP LEVEL

HAVE MULTIPLE REPORTING METHODS

ALWAYS FOLLOW UP ON SUGGESTIONS

LIQUID SPILLS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO GIVE THEM THE SLIP

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ABSORBING THE LESSONS

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THANK YOU