emma willison

Over the last 66 years, the British Safety Council has advocated for workplace and other safety, trying to reduce harm and improve wellbeing. While the nature of hazards and needs have changed over the years, in 2023 the BSC’s role and mission is just as important as ever. There remains a lot to be done. It’s also worth remembering an era before the BSC, when things were a lot worse.

Slips, trips and falls are, on average, responsible for around a third of all non-fatal major injuries to employees reported by employers in Britain; and two fatalities each year. Ninety-five per cent of major slips result in broken bones, requiring a minimum of six to eight weeks to heal. While the cost to human health is incalculable, the cost to employers from lost production and other expenses has been estimated at £512 million every year.

Slips, trips and falls continue to be the most common cause of non-fatal workplace injury, resulting in lost working days for businesses and avoidable injuries for employees. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), slips, trips and falls accounted for 30 per cent of all non-fatal injuries reported by employers in the last year, 2021/22. That translates into an estimated 106,000 reported cases, based on reports by workers themselves.