Slips, trips and falls

Someone tripping over a wire.

Image: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

Some of the most common injuries that our customers experience in their homes last year are caused by slips, trips and falls. On this page you can find tips and advice to reduce your risk of injury. 

We want to support you to follow our initiative 'don't walk on by’, which encourages both our colleagues and customers to be proactive and raise any health and safety concerns about what they see in our homes, for example this could be a damaged step, a leaking pipe or a wet floor. 

If you notice an issue with an item that is our responsibility to fix, please report this to us. 

Staying safe from slips, trips and falls

Some of the most common causes of slips, trips and falls in homes include:

  • Wet floors.
  • Trailing power leads.
  • Moss on pathways or uneven paving slabs.
  • Running.
  • Using mobile phones whilst walking.
  • Spills or leaks.
  • Inadequate or incorrect lighting, glare from sun, snow and ice.
  • Unsuitable footwear.
  • Uneven steps and surfaces holes or gaps.

By being aware of and dealing with any of these issues, you will be keeping yourself and your home a safer place.

We encourage you to be more aware of your surroundings. Think about others that may not be aware of any hazards that might have been created or overlooked.

Here are some quick actions you can do now to avoid any trips, slips or falls in the future:

  • Clean up spills immediately.
  • Keep walkways and hallways free of clutter and obstacles.
  • Use available handrails and consider installing handrails if needed.
  • Close cupboard doors, drawers and filing cabinets when not in use.
  • Avoid leaving cables in areas where people may walk.
  • Change lightbulbs when needed.
  • Consider changing the flooring.
  • Ensure appropriate footwear is worn correctly for the activity you are doing.
  • Report any issues with flooring or paths at the earliest opportunity to LiveWest.
     

If there is damage to your home which puts you at risk of a slip, trip or fall, please report this to us as soon as you notice it so that we can repair it for you if it is our responsibility. If it is your responsibility, you should repair this as soon as you can. 

Repairs can be reported through our customer portal. 

Your safety

For more information on how to stay safe in your home, visit Your Safety.

Visit your safety