Slips, trips and falls – raising awareness

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 31 October 2014
  • Generated on 13 December 2024
  • IMCA SF 17/14
  • 3 minute read

A number of our members have seen an increase in the number of slips, trips and falls reported from offshore vessels in the past twelve months.

There is a clear need to raise awareness and highlight several serious incidents involving slips and trips.

Slips and trips are one of the most common causes of major injuries at work. The worst kind of these accidents can prove to be fatal but they can also lead to cuts, bruises, head injuries, back injuries and fractures. All slips and trips are preventable if all procedures, processes and risk assessments are followed. Everyone has a personal and shared responsibility to work together cooperatively to prevent workplace injuries.

The following issues in particular may be highlighted:

  • Stairs – distraction, rushing, weather conditions etc
  • Contamination of flooring – contamination can be classed as anything that should not end up on a floor, e.g. rainwater, oil, grease, cardboard, product wrapping, dust, etc
  • Walkways – trailing cables, stored items, debris, unsecured mats, changes in levels and slopes etc
  • Obstacles – whether permanent or temporary
  • Housekeeping – a large percentage of trip accidents are caused by poor housekeeping. So improving housekeeping helps eliminate a large number of accidents
  • Environment – weather, noise, humidity, condensation, lighting, vessel movement etc
  • Suitable footwear – can play an important part in preventing slips and trips, choose the appropriate work footwear
  • People or human factors – how people act and behave in their work environment – fatigue, loss of concentration, horseplay and low risk perception etc.

In conclusion:

  • The incidents described here were all wholly avoidable. Luckily many of these cases resulted in minor injuries to the individuals. However, the potential was there for a more severe injury to have been sustained.
  • For some, safety only becomes an important consideration when they are doing a dangerous job or task. They rationalise that safety procedures can be bypassed or ignored when the task is simple, small, ‘routine’ and seemingly presents little risk of injury. Unfortunately, this type of thinking is why many ‘routine’, and apparently safe tasks or jobs, end up resulting in accidents.
  • The habit of working safely should not be limited to those activities or tasks that are the most difficult or dangerous. ‘Work safe habits’ should be part of your everyday work ‘routine’. If safety is not incorporated into every job or task you do, it is really only a matter of time before an accident occurs.
  • All worksite areas should be free from hazards through effective planning, procedural controls and risk assessment of tasks.
  • Effective toolbox talks, supervision and an ongoing review of working practices are essential to ensure learnings are identified, acted upon and shared.
Person tripped over sea fastening on right and banged his face on sea fastening on left, resulting in a cut upper lip

Person tripped over sea fastening on right and banged his face on sea fastening on left, resulting in a cut upper lip

Person slipped whilst descending the stairs bruising both his thigh and calf

Person slipped whilst descending the stairs bruising both his thigh and calf

Person slipped coming out of the door way, injuring his knee

Person slipped coming out of the door way, injuring his knee

Person tripped over the sea fastening strap on the fast rescue craft, bruising his knee

Person tripped over the sea fastening strap on the fast rescue craft, bruising his knee

Person slipped while descending the stairs, bruising his knee

Person slipped while descending the stairs, bruising his knee

Person’s foot got caught in the bag handle; he then stumbled and fell, twisting his ankle

Person’s foot got caught in the bag handle; he then stumbled and fell, twisting his ankle

Here, the injured person was working between the ground level as well as the air skate frame (20cm high); he stepped down and slipped on the silt in the bottom of the dry dock during cleaning operations, and fell to the floor banging his head, he also cut his face and bruised his ribs and hip. Red circles indicate area being cleaned; area where injured person fell, and tools being used

Here, the injured person was working between the ground level as well as the air skate frame (20cm high); he stepped down and slipped on the silt in the bottom of the dry dock during cleaning operations, and fell to the floor banging his head, he also cut his face and bruised his ribs and hip. Red circles indicate area being cleaned; area where injured person fell, and tools being used

Injured person tripped over raised black/yellow warning line and fell, chipping one tooth and cracking another tooth when his face came into contact with the gas cylinder trolley

Injured person tripped over raised black/yellow warning line and fell, chipping one tooth and cracking another tooth when his face came into contact with the gas cylinder trolley

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IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of the entire offshore industry.

The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on the industry sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Incidents are classified according to IOGP's Life Saving Rules.

All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate, and warnings for graphic content included where possible.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the information shared, but is not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual's or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.

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