September heralds the arrival of ‘Sliptember’, a dedicated month that shines the spotlight on the vital issue of slip safety. In this blog Christian Harris, the founder of Slip Safety Services and the host of the Safety and Risk Success Podcast, shares his knowledge on Sliptember aims to alter perceptions and bring about real change.
Take, for instance, the sobering tale of Stanley May, a cherished figure in his local community known for his philanthropy and love for gardening. Despite the presence of a cautionary yellow sign, Mr. May tragically slipped and succumbed to his injuries. In the aftermath, the Co-Op was levied with a £400,000 fine in 2015.
This is more than an isolated incident. As Douglas Barnett, Director of Mid-Market and Customer Risk Management at AXA, noted, “Slips are the most expensive category of health and safety claims for AXA UK, costing £80 million a year.” To put it into perspective, AXA holds less than 5% of the UK’s liability insurance premiums, which suggests that slips result in well over £1.5bn in insurance claims each year—far beyond the estimates often cited by the HSE.
The prevailing sentiment among safety practitioners is one of self-assurance; many believe they’ve already got a handle on slips and trips. However, statistics indicate that there has been little to no improvement in this area for over a decade. Slips continue to be the leading cause of accidents, injuries, and insurance claims in multiple sectors. Is it not time to ask whether ‘good’ is really good enough?
The silver lining? There is a better way—a scientific way, in fact. Christian Harris’s method of ‘Slipology’ has achieved striking results across various industries:
- 60% fewer accidents at a London train station
- 90% fewer bathtub slips in a 3* hotel
- A national swimming pool chain reduced slip claims from once a week to once a month, saving over £250,000
So, this month, why not change the narrative? Instead of relying on yellow caution signs or insurance to pick up the slack, let’s take a robust, scientific approach to reduce slip risks.
For those eager to delve deeper, don’t miss our exclusive Sliptember webinar hosted by Shield Safety on the 21st of September at 10 am. Rob Easton, Head of Environmental Health at Shield Safety, will be joined by Christian Harris to offer expert insights into:
- Common pitfalls and misconceptions
- The TRIP framework for identifying and mitigating trip risks
- The five tenets of Slipology
- The CHIMES model, outlining the six main causes of slips
- A quick 3-minute guide to assessing your scientific slip risk
The slipology methodology is trusted by blue-chip brands and is backed by collaborative efforts with stakeholders such as architects, facilities management providers, and insurance companies like AXA.
