Q&A session with Ita Leyden, Ergonomist & Forensic Engineer

“I’m a manager of a premises and we have recently carried out some refurbishments. Am I required by law to carry out a floor-slip test to make sure the floor is safe?”

Firstly, regardless of any statutory obligation – it makes good business sense to check the slip potential of floors. Slips, trips and falls are the most common contributor to workplace accidents – so if one of your staff, or a member of the public slips on your new floor it could have a significant impact on your business. The risk of slipping on a floor is associated with 3 factors – the type of flooring, contamination on the floor surface and the footwear. Testing the slip potential of floors before the accident happens is the best approach – LCE provide floor slip testing from as little as €150.

Now to answer the question in relation to legal obligation – yes, employers are required, by law to assess the risk of slips and to control those risks.  

Think workplace safety… think LCE. www.LCE.ie