Finnebrogue rolls out slip and trip awareness campaign across all sites to reduce risk of workplace injury

Friday 28th April is World Health & Safety Day, but at Finnebrogue, health and safety is a priority every day.

Did you know that slips and trips are the most common cause of major injuries at work and can happen almost anywhere?

• Slips, trips and falls are some of the most common causes of injury at work in the UK and globally, accounting for on average 40 per cent of all reported major injuries in UK workplaces alone. (Source: Health & Safety Council)

• Ninety-five per cent of major slips result in broken bones and they can also be the initial cause for a range of other types of accident, such as a fall from height. (Source: Health & Safety Executive).

Finnebrogue’s Health & Safety team were out and about in April, visiting all four of its sites in Downpatrick, to raise awareness for slip and trip hazards.

They highlighted the importance of cleaning up spills as they occur and wearing the appropriate PPE for a task; keeping fire exits and walkways clear; and to never overload equipment or walk near operational forklifts.

“When we work safe, we go home safe,” says Richard Barnes, Finnebrogue’s Group Health, Safety & Environment Manager.

“We encourage a #dontwalkby culture. That means, ‘see it, sort it, report it’ – and this attitude alone can reduce near-misses and prevent accidents at work.”

Finnebrogue is one of a few food manufacturers in Northern Ireland that has invested in a SlipAlert tool, which enables teams to measure a surface slip resistance.

Richard explains: “A factory floor can receive a lot of spillages of mixed matter and whilst most are visible and can be cleaned up quickly, some are invisible like grease.”

“The visual display of the SlipAlert shows how slippery the floor is and an easy reference graph correlates with green, amber, red categories for low, medium and high risk of slip.”

Colleagues enjoyed the opportunity to try out the slip test and understand the full impact of falling on a wet or dry surface.

There were lots of fun-based learning activities for colleagues, including practical demonstrations and ‘spot the difference’ competitions – with lots of sweet treats to encourage participation!

Everyone ended the week feeling more informed and very risk-aware!