London’s small businesses have joined forces to support a campaign aimed at preventing deaths and injuries in the workplace.
Seven of the capital’s organisations, representingbusiness sectors where injuries as a result of a slip, trip or fall are common, are supporting a campaign by the Health and Safety Executive, by implementing good health and safety practice.
In 2008 11 people were killed at work and more than 4,700 suffered a serious injury as a result of a slip, trip or fall. The HSE estimates that on a national scale these types of injuries cost the economy £700m per year.
The campaign is targeted at sectors where there is a prevalence of such injuries: food retail, catering and hospitality, food and drink manufacturing, building and plant maintenance, construction, healthcare and education, although the risks can occur in any workplace.
Marcia Davies, head of the HSE’s injury reduction programme, said: “People often view slips, trips and falls as trivial incidents, even comical, but they are no joke to those who suffer major injuries, a lifetime of disability, time off work and, in the worst cases, death.
“We want to raise awareness of how these incidents can happen and how they can be easily avoided by taking commonsense actions.”
The HSE has launched an interactive learning package that provides practical guidance to help users tackle slips, trips and falls in their workplace.
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