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Scroll down to view our church slips and trips video which identifies some common hazards in churches.
Older, historic churches
An historic church may present different hazards to a modern building, such as uneven floors or poor lighting, and can challenge the standard approaches to preventing slips and trips. This is usually due to the historic fabric of the building or design constraints. As a consequence, trying to identify and implement suitable precautions can be problematic.
You can access the practical findings of this unique research by reading more about the different risk factors via the images below, or going direct to the guidance documents listed at the bottom of this page.
Preventing slips and trips
You are probably already taking a number of precautions to protect those who use the church from slips and trips. In many instances, straightforward precautions can make a real difference; for example, making sure spillages are cleaned up promptly so people do not slip, or ensuring there are no trailing electrical cables presenting a trip hazard.
In some situations you may need to:
- Complete a risk assessment to identify the precautions you need to take
- Implement adequate precautions, providing information and training for any employees on what they need to do
- Make periodic checks to ensure your precautions remain adequate
- Document your arrangements and responsibilities for preventing slips and trips, perhaps as part of your Safety Statement
- Keep records of what you have done.
It’s also important to consider the prevention of slips and trips in graveyards and burial grounds too, as this is an often-frequented area of the church – whether walking into the church to attend a service or accessing the grounds for funerals.