Have you ever wondered what one of the most common causes of workplace injuries in Great Britain is? Slips, trips and falls on the same level are consistently among the leading causes of workplace injury — and the leading named accident kind in the latest employer-reported RIDDOR data.
Despite ongoing efforts to educate employers and employees, many people are injured by slips, trips and falls on the same level every year. But how many people suffer from slips, trips and falls at work in Great Britain? The most recent statistics on slips, trips and falls might surprise you.
The HSE publishes two main sets of slip, trip and fall statistics: self-reported injuries from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and employer-reported injuries under RIDDOR.
The HSE’s LFS data table “Kind of accident (LFSINJKND)” estimates that, in Great Britain:
- 133,000 workers sustained a workplace non-fatal injury after they “slipped, tripped or fell on the same level” each year, on average, across 2022/23 to 2024/25. This equals 410 injuries per 100,000 workers.
- 46,000 of these injuries caused more than three days’ absence from work. 37,000 caused more than seven days’ absence from work.
- 1,005,000 working days were lost a year, on average.
Some workplace injuries must also be reported by employers under RIDDOR. HSE’s detailed RIDDOR data table “RIDKIND” shows that, in 2024/25:
- 18,051 non-fatal employee injuries were caused by slips, trips or falls on the same level, accounting for 30% of all reported non-fatal employee injuries.
- Of these reported non-fatal injuries, 8,184 were specified injuries and 9,867 caused over-seven-day absence
- The same table also recorded 3 fatal injuries to workers caused by slips, trips or falls on the same level.
Note: These statistics refer to slips, trips and falls on the same level. Falls from height are recorded separately by HSE. These are covered in our guide to fall from height statistics.
The Labour Force Survey is based on workers’ self-reported experiences. HSE describes it as the most complete estimate of non-fatal workplace injury because it includes injuries regardless of whether they were reported to an employer or caused time off work.
RIDDOR data is based on reports submitted by employers. It provides more detail on serious workplace incidents but does not capture every injury. HSE notes that employers substantially under-report RIDDOR-defined non-fatal injuries, with overall reporting estimated at around half.
This means the LFS figures are better for understanding the overall scale of workplace slips, trips and falls, while RIDDOR is useful for understanding reported serious injuries and industry-level patterns.
Almost every type of workplace can have slipping and tripping hazards. All you need is a floor or a patch of ground and something that makes it hard to get a proper grip or gets in your way. And that, unfortunately, can be pretty much any place.
Some sectors record more reported injuries than others, although higher numbers do not necessarily mean higher risk. They can also reflect workforce size, reporting behaviour and the types of tasks carried out.
When we look at the HSE’s RIDKIND data table, the top six sectors with the most reported non-fatal workplace injuries from slips, trips or falls on the same level are:
- Human health and social work activities
- Transportation and storage
- Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
- Manufacturing
- Education
- Accommodation and food service activities
Preventing slips, trips and falls on the same level at work requires employers and employees to make an effort. It’s impossible to remove all risks, of course.
Still, if you follow the tips below, you should be able to reduce the likelihood of slips, trips and falls at your workplace:
- Perform regular risk assessments
- Keep your workplace clean, neat and tidy
- Ensure all employees have suitable footwear
- Put up warning signs to alert people to obstructions and hazards
- Install adequate lighting
- Install slip-resistant flooring and non-slip mats
- Keep your floors in good condition
- Ensure cables and cords are not tripping hazards
- Clean up any spills immediately
- Encourage staff to report all tripping or slipping hazards
- Provide staff with accredited slips, trips and falls training
Even with greater awareness of workplace health and safety, it’s still shocking how many people suffer from slips, trips and falls at work. Offering fall prevention training to your team is one of the best ways to raise awareness and prevent injuries. With the proper training, staff can learn how to identify and control slip, trip and fall hazards.
Our Slips, Trips and Falls Training course teaches people how to eliminate or control slipping and tripping hazards.
Don’t trip yourself up regarding health and safety at work. Sign up for fall prevention training now.
