According to the Health and Safety Executive, slips and trips are the most common cause of workplace injury. On average, they are the cause of 40 per cent of all reported major injuries at work and can also result in other types of serious accident, such as falls from height. Slips and trips are also the most reported injury to members of the public.

Wet floors pose an obvious hazard and any spillages or leaks should always be dealt with immediately. However, a worker who mopped up after he slipped and injured himself on a wet floor in the staff toilets found his employer disinclined to believe his account of what had happened.

The toilets were dark and he slipped as he was trying to turn on the light. Even though he was in pain, he cleaned the floor to prevent further accident before reporting the incident. His employer carried out an inspection and, finding no water on the floor, denied any liability for the man’s injuries.

Fortunately for the injured man, the judge hearing his personal injury claim preferred his version of events and found that his employer had failed to put in place an effective system of regular cleaning and inspection. Accordingly, he was awarded compensation for his injuries.

Says Watson Ramsbottom compensation claim specialist Sian Rees, “Employers have a legal duty to assess health and safety risks in the workplace and take reasonable steps to remove or minimise those risks. Failure to carry out basic checks can have disastrous effects for employees, and ultimately prove costly for employers.”

If you have been injured in a trip, slip or fall through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Sian Rees for advice on making a claim on 01254 70 11 11 or complete our online enquiry form.