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Supermarket sweep for slipping hazards - 01-05-2008 | Two Cramlington supermarkets are going head to head in bid to be the best when it comes to preventing slips, trips and falls in their stores.
Every 25 minutes, someone breaks or fractures a bone at work and slips, trips and falls accounted for 38% of all major workplace injuries. Last year, over a third of these originated in the food manufacturing and food retail industries, and cost society £31m.
The HSE launched the 'Shattered Lives' campaign to highlight the devastating consequences of slips, trips and falls in the workplace.
Peter Judd, Safety Officer, Public Health and Safety with Blyth Valley Borough Council, has given his backing to the campaign. And, as part of his ongoing work to reduce slips, trips and falls in the retail sector, Mr Judd instigated the friendly rivalry between the Asda and Sainsburys stores in Cramlington's Manor Walks shopping centre to see which store has the best safety record.
Mr Judd visits stores on a weekly basis and carries out a safety check to ensure that risk of slipping, tripping or falling by staff, shoppers and contractors are minimised or preferably eradicated. At the end of the visit, each store is awarded a mark for its efforts and one store announced as that week's winners.
Mr Judd said he was delighted to be supporting the HSE campaign to raise awareness of the consequences of slips and trips and trips in the workplace.
He added:
"On the face of it, the friendly rivalry between the two stores seems very light hearted and I'm delighted that the store managers have entered into the spirit of it, but there is much more serious intention behind it.
"Slips, trips and falls can be viewed as being minor, funny accidents but the effects are not. It can lead to major injuries, a lifetime of disability or time off work and in worst cases, fatalities.
"The very pro-active approach we've adopted in Blyth Valley is really paying dividends, not just in the retail sector but across the board where we have seen a significant reduction in the number of accidents in the workplace.
Asda Store Manager, Andy Dallman, explained that he appreciated the relaxed yet very professional approach adopted by Mr Judd. He said:
"Training in health and safety is a top priority for all Asda colleagues. We have a very good working relationship with the team at Blyth Valley Borough Council, seeking to prevent accidents and incidents occurring in the store and getting advice and support from the council who keep us up to date on relevant health and safety legislation."
Sainsbury store manager Malcolm Gibbons explained that particular care was taken in the fruit and veg area of the supermarket. He said:
"Grapes and onion skins and loose products like broccoli cause problems so we are extra vigilant in that area and during the recent refit of the store, we installed non-slip flooring which has had a very positive impact."
HSE's Shattered Lives campaign offers support and guidance to employers and employees in the construction, building and plant maintenance and food manufacturing and retail industries where the incidence of injuries resulting from slips, trips and falls is highest.
Illustration used is from the S*A*F*E* Startrange of safety education resources created using characters from the hit Twentieth Century Fox TV series and film The Simpsons. For further details please contact Abeceder.
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