The UK Timber Decking and Cladding Association (TDCA) advise "The key factor in preventing slippery decking is to ensure that the deck surface is kept clean and surface deposits such as mildew, algae and fine mosses are kept at bay." Deep cleaning is likely to be required before most surface treatments/ resurfacing. For effective deep cleaning, use the correct chemical, physical and thermal energy.

Crikey acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the many nations across Australia, and pay our respect to Elders past and present. We recognise that their sovereignty has never been ceded.

A Taser gun fires a pair of barbed spikes into the flesh attached by wires to the gun's battery pack which delivers a 50,000 volt kick to immobilise a person, explains Lionel Elmore.

Provide advice and training on safeguards and controls. Signs and safety colours may be useful to back up training and instructions, and to identify high-risk areas.

slip, trip and fall hazards control measures

This was hardly a life threatening situation and it would seem that Tasers are also used to replace negotiation and physical restraint which worked when the Taser failed.

Crikey is committed to hosting lively discussions. Help us keep the conversation useful, interesting and welcoming. We aim to publish comments quickly in the interest of promoting robust conversation, but we’re a small team and we deploy filters to protect against legal risk. Occasionally your comment may be held up while we review, but we’re working as fast as we can to keep the conversation rolling.

Slips on a level typically occur on contaminated harder surfaces and not on soft surfaces such as carpets. Slippery Surface locations include wet slippery surfaces, walkways, entrances/ exits and bathrooms. Potential slippery surface slip-risks should be risk assessed including history, data and measurements

Regulations 9, 23, 99 and 105 of the General Application Regulations outline that pedestrian surfaces should be not slippery. In limited cases, there may be a justifiable reason for intentionally slippery surfaces, for example, on a van loaded by sliding the load, anti-climb paint. In these cases, contamination and pedestrian risk factors must be very carefully risk assessed and warning signs and slip-resistant footwear are likely to be required.

Where a surface originally had good slip-resistance, it may be possible to restore that initial good grip with a thorough deep clean. Slip-resistance may have been reduced because of a build-up of dirt, detergent, polish, material from shoe soles. For cleaning and deep cleaning it's important to use the correct chemical, physical and thermal energy. Consider the manufacturers advice on floor cleaning for that particular floor. Deep cleaning is likely to be needed before further surface treatments.

HSE UK provides useful advice on improving slip resistance. The advice on acid-etching (and hydrofluoric acid) is important. HSE UK has a wide range of case studies including cleaning, matting, design, maintenance and training. HSL advise about an abattoir that reduced slips costs from £207,800 to £136,000 over three years by “clear” floor specifications, “matched” footwear, monitoring and removal of chequerplate.

Wet floorhazardand control

Transport – walkways and yardsPublic Admin –walkways, entrances/exits and car parksHealthcare – walkways, bathrooms and entrances/exitsIndustry – walkways and entrances/exitsConstruction – walkways and entrances/exitsRetail - entrances/exits, cold rooms and shop aisles

Police risk shooting each other ) or people other than the intended “victim”. Earlier this year a Canadian officer was accidently tasered in the head, which led to a “brain seizure”.

Some factors may be particular to individual workplaces. Consider any other factors that could affect slip risk such as hot oil, level changes, etc

Also consider the ability to control footwear in the workplace. Has slip-resistant footwear been identified as required PPE?

The Napo animated video "Shining example" (1 minute, 8 seconds) shows the problem with choosing a floor surface based solely on how it looks

This web page provides simple step-by-step advice on how to manage, assess and prevent work slips. The advice targets fixed level places of work. See our separate advice on Safer Stairs and Steps and work vehicles

Preventing or restricting pedestrian access in a clear planned matter can be very effective in reducing slip risks, for example

Slip hazardexamples

Pedestrian footwear can mitigate against or contribute to slip-risk. Assess the slip resistance of employee footwear (especially slip resistance of the heels) using our advice on slip-resistant footwear.

For slippery surface treatments consider our advice on “Slip Resistance” under Selecting Slip Resistant Pedestrian Surfaces, for example, specify the expected slip-resistance and anticipated life, allowing for wear and tear. In most cases, a new cleaning regime may be required

Slippery floorhazardprevention

slips, trips and falls hazards in the workplace

The idea of arming police with Tasers — electric stun guns —  is straight forward, it is seen as an option to the deadly use of firearms.

Last Friday in Townsville a man died after police hit him more than 20 times with a Taser. Anthony Galeano died about 15 minutes after he was Tasered. Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Stewart confirmed the Taser was activated 28 times but refused to say when police realised.

For Slippery Surface Controls, to check the improvement, assess slip-resistance before and after treatment, and monitor periodically thereafter to ensure continued slip-resistance. New cleaning regimes are likely to be required with new, treated, or resurfaced pedestrian surfaces.

The young lad pictured here was shot with a Taser by police in WA after a fight with a bouncer — but pulled the two barbs out — keeping the one pictured:

A Taser gun fires a pair of barbed spikes into the flesh attached by wires to the gun’s battery pack which delivers a 50,000 volt kick to immobilise a person.

Though powered by compressed air to shoot spikes connected by wires to the gun up to 10 metres Taser Guns are not particularly accurate.

Sliphazards in the workplace

Resurface the pedestrian surface with a material that provides a low slip-risk. Methods of resurfacing a slippery surface include*:

The two-page Slip Prevention and Risk Assessment Tool Sample, or a similar document, can help prioritise areas for attention and record and track progress

Six sectors account for 55% of the workforce but 81% of slips, trips and falls (STF) - these are the “Big Six” sectors. Some areas typically associated with Slips, Trips and Falls (STF) in the “Big Six” sectors can be identified by looking at causes for each sector, for example,

For slippery surface resurfacing consider our advice on “Slip Resistance” under Selecting Slip Resistant Pedestrian Surfaces, for example, specify the expected slip-resistance and anticipated life, allowing for wear and tear. Choose and apply new surfaces carefully. In most cases, a new cleaning regime may be required

Though the ‘charge’ is meant to last no more than five seconds its use in dangerous and unpredictable real life situations has seen the charge used multiple times. People with mental health and drug issues cannot always be pulled up with a single Taser shot, encouraging the use of multiple shots.

Wet floor risk assessment

The slip-resistance of a pedestrian surface is likely to change because of traffic, wear and tear, contamination and cleaning. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act requires designers, manufacturers, importers or suppliers of articles to provide or arrange for adequate information to ensure safe use.

Yet it is these people that are most likely to be subjected to the use of Tasers — and most likely to suffer beyond the ‘torture’ of being electrocuted.

Slippery floorhazardor risk

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act requires risk assessment. The Slip Risk Assessment and Prevention Process can be completed with three key steps.

Crikey is an independent Australian source for news, investigations, analysis and opinion focusing on politics, media, economics, health, international affairs, the climate, business, society and culture. We are guided by a deceptively simple, old idea: tell the truth and shame the devil.

To complete a workplace slip-risk assessment, combine the individual slip-risk assessments using a Mapping Tool or using a spreadsheet or some equally effective solution.

The history of incidents and near-slips may indicate that a surface is slippery. Check for a history of slips or near-slips, or other evidence that pedestrians slip on the surface. Check with workers if the surface is slippery, not just when dry but also when contaminated. Employees should be actively asked for their views – "does the surface feel slippery underfoot when dry or wet/ contaminated?"

A lot more care needs to be taken to evaluate and monitor the existing use of Tasers before they are introduced into additional police forces. However, the more widespread use of Tasers is likely while politicians and senior police are pressured to ‘do something’ about Law and Order.

It may be helpful to observe behaviour patterns to identify any behaviours of concern. Pedestrian behaviour can be considered including important questions like

The death of a man in Queensland reminds us that Tasers do kill people wherever they are used. Amnesty international has warned about Tasers over a number of years. In a report delivered last year and referred to by The Guardian , Amnesty outlined that “Tasers have killed nearly 350 people in the USA over the last seven years. Late last year Amnesty also raised further concerns regarding their use with the introduction of a further 10,000 Tasers into 10 more police forces.”

Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to collect information about how you use this site to improve our service to you. By not accepting cookies some elements of the site, such as video, will not work. Please visit our Cookie Policy page for more information on how we use cookies.