Slips & Trips Risk Assessment for Construction (UK)

Construction sites change daily. Ground gets churned up, routes move, materials arrive, temporary lighting shifts, and wet weather turns minor defects into real slip and trip hazards. That's why a construction-specific slips and trips risk assessment needs two things: route control (keeping pedestrian access predictable) and close-out discipline (fixing defects fast, not just logging them).

Use this template to document hazards, existing controls, required actions, owners, due dates, and review triggers. For a quick walk-round first, start with the checklist and then copy findings into this template.

Where slips and trips happen most on construction sites

Slips and trips usually cluster around interfaces and transitions, not tidy open areas. Prioritise:

• Site entrances, delivery points, and welfare routes (tracked mud, congestion)
• Temporary pedestrian routes (shortcuts, route drift, uneven ground)
• Access points to scaffolds, stair towers, and ladders (wet treads, poor visibility)
• Excavation edges and service trenches (changes in level, barriers moved)
• Loading zones and laydown areas (pallet straps, banding, offcuts)
• Concrete pours and finishing zones (slurry, dust, curing compounds)
• Internal fit-out areas (trailing leads, floor openings, thresholds)
• Night or low-light operations (shadows, glare, missing task lighting)

How to use this template on a live site

Do the walk when the site is active, not when it's quiet. Follow real pedestrian desire lines: where people actually walk, not where the plan says they should. Where you find route drift, treat it as a hazard in itself and control it with barriers, signage, and clearer route marking.

For each hazard, record:

• exact location (grid, level, zone, reference point)
• what could happen (slip/trip/fall, fall to lower level)
• people at risk (workers, visitors, delivery drivers, public interface)
• existing controls (what's truly in place today)
• further controls with an owner and a close-out date

If an item is high risk, apply interim controls immediately (restrict access, temporary barrier/cover, extra lighting, cleanup) and then log the permanent fix.

Simple risk rating (usable on site)

Construction slips & trips risk assessment template (copy/paste)

1) Assessment details

2) Scope and assumptions

• Included routes (entrance to welfare, welfare to workface, material routes that pedestrians cross):
• Excluded zones (if any) and why:
• Temporary works present (scaffold, stair towers, coverings, edge protection):
• Public interface areas (hoarding lines, footpaths, crossings):
• Access restrictions and planned route changes (next 7–14 days):

3) Site observations (short factual summary)

• Ground condition (rutted/muddy/uneven, loose stone, standing water):
• Housekeeping condition (offcuts, straps, packaging, fixings, debris):
• Contamination sources (slurry, oil/grease, dust, rain tracking, ice risk):
• Lighting adequacy (dead spots, glare, temporary lights missing/moved):
• Route control (barriers, signage, defined walkways, evidence of shortcuts):
• Changes in level (excavations, open edges, threshold steps, floor openings):
• Condition of access equipment (steps, treads, handrails, stair towers):

4) Hazard log (main record)

5) Interim controls and access decisions

6) Close-out evidence

7) Review schedule

Control ideas that work well on construction sites

Route control (stop shortcuts)

• Make the safe route the easiest route (barriers + clear entry points)
• Remove "desire line" incentives (don't store materials on the safe route)
• Use consistent wayfinding (arrows, keep-out zones, pedestrian-only lanes)
• Reconfirm routes after deliveries and at shift start

Housekeeping (reduce trip clutter)

• Define "no-storage" pedestrian corridors to welfare and fire exits
• Assign end-of-shift clean-down ownership by zone
• Control banding, shrink wrap, straps, and offcuts (bins at point of use)
• Keep leads/hoses off floors where possible (hooks, ramps, crossings)

Surface and contamination

• Treat mud management as a system: entrance control, scrape points, matting
• Address standing water (drainage, pumping, temporary grading)
• Use cleaning methods that remove residue (not just redistribute)
• Isolate wet trades (concrete, plaster, screeds) from pedestrian routes

Visibility and changes in level

• Increase temporary lighting in shadow zones and stair approaches
• Mark edges and changes in level; cover openings properly
• Keep stair tower treads sound and handrails continuous
• Maintain edge protection; prevent "moved barrier" drift

If you need help improving pedestrian flow, route clarity, and hazard visibility in mixed-use zones, we can advise on practical marking and anti-slip options:

Common pitfalls and how we prevent them

A common failure on construction sites is writing hazards that are too general. "Uneven ground" isn't actionable unless you state exactly where it is, what route it affects, and what the close-out looks like. This template forces location precision, named owners, and dates.

Another common failure is allowing pedestrian routes to drift. When barriers move, materials get stored in walkways, or shortcuts appear, risk rises fast. The fix is simple: reassert the route daily, remove the incentive to shortcut, and recheck after deliveries and phase changes.

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