trip hazard step height

Don't get tripped up by OSHA's walking-working surfaces standard

Date posted: 05/08/2019.

OSHA's  Walking-working surfaces  standard,  29 CFR 1910.22 , addresses workplace hazards that cause slip, trip, and falls. The standard focuses on proactive safety management — meaning that OSHA expects employers to find and fix workplace hazards BEFORE they become an issue. OSHA says exposure to these types of hazards pose a "significant risk" of death or serious harm to workers.

The requirements under Subpart D, "Walking-Working Surfaces," provide employers with the flexibility to decide which fall protection method or system works best for the work operation. OSHA says that these multiple options, along with required  inspections  and  training , will help employers prevent and eliminate walking-working surface hazards.

What is a walking-working surface?

They are surfaces like floors, aisles, stairs, ladders, roofs, platforms, dockboards, and more. When you identify walking-working surface hazards, they must be eliminated with proactive measures such as use of  fall protection . Fall protection includes using: covers, designated areas, guardrails, handrails, personal fall protection systems, ladder safety systems, and safety nets.

The standard requires employers to conduct regular inspections to identify and mitigate slips, trips and fall hazards. Things to keep in mind while performing these inspections include:

• Passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces must be kept clean, orderly, and sanitary.
• Walking-working surfaces must have a proper load rating to safely support loads applied to it.
• If a corrective action or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface.
• False floors, platforms, and mats must be provided when wet processes are used.
• Workroom floors must be kept clean and dry.
• Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces must be corrected or repaired before an employee can use it again.
• Employers must provide safe access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces.
• Protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice are not allowed on walking-working surfaces.
• Only a qualified person can repair structural integrity issues on a walking-working surface.

How Safety Management Suite Can Help

Many OSHA standards require your employer to provide training to workers, including this standard. Training should occur initially at new hire orientation and thereafter on an ongoing basis. Walking-working surfaces training topics include: hazard identification, fall protection use, ladder safety, scaffold-user safety, and stairway requirements.

In addition to your site-specific training, you can find classroom training materials in the J. J. Keller® SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE . The training feature offers online training courses in English and Spanish to enhance or jump start your site-specific training. You can also use the Workplace Inspections in SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE to customize your walking-working surface inspections.

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Keeping walking-working surfaces safe is everyone’s responsibility, causes of falls: environment, equipment, and behaviors, proposed rule to address stair rail height confusion, to help reduce slips and falls, check the floor material.

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What is the building code for the minimum height of stair steps (risers)?

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Both the Residential Edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) do not list a minimum height for stair risers. The codes only state a maximum riser height of 7-3/4”. But the FBC specifies “ANSI A117.1-09 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities” as a reference standard, which does have 4” as a minimum riser height. Also, the International Building Code (IBC), which is the commercial edition of the International Code series, specifies 4” as a minimum riser.

    So it is likely that a municipal inspector would hold you to a 4” minimum riser using these secondary code references, because it really does make sense. Anything less, like the 2” step shown below, is more of a trip hazard than a step.

    For an overview of stair construction standards, see our blog post What do home inspectors check when inspecting stairs?  

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about STAIRS:

• What is the minimum headroom clearance for stairs?

• Is a landing always required at the top and bottom of stairs?  

• When is a railing required at stairs?

• When is a nosing required on a stair tread?

• What is the building code requirement for receptacle outlets at stairs and stair landings?  

• Are open stair risers acceptable?

• What is the steepest residential stair allowed ?

• Why is a single step dangerous in a house?

•  Do I need stairs at all exit doors from a mobile home?  

• The stairs feel too steep. What's the building code?  

•  What is the longest stair run allowed?  

•  What is the lighting requirement for stairs?

•  A light is required over a stair after how many steps/risers?  

•  When is safety glass required for windows at stairs and stair landings?

    Visit our STAIRS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.

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Sidewalk & Walkway Trip Hazards Expert Article

Trips and falls occur when unanticipated variations in walking surfaces interrupt the motions of a pedestrian’s foot. Studies of pedestrian falls have identified that small changes in elevation are particularly dangerous because of the low probability that pedestrians will reliably detect them.

In this article, architect and premises safety expert, Thomas Lodge discusses hazards associated with abrupt changes in walkways such as interior floors and walkway surfaces such as sidewalks and short flight stairs.

Sidewalk & Walkway Trip Hazards

Harvey Cohen and Jake Pauls, in their article “Warnings and Markings for Stairways and Pedestrian Terrain,” have identified that trips are caused by unexpected impediments in a level walking surface and unexpected change in level, and describes:

“Trips and resultant stumbles most often occur during the swing phase of the stride, when the forward motion of the foot is halted unexpectedly. This can be a brief impediment that usually causes a slight, recoverable stumble (where the foot quickly manages to come free), or a longer impediment, where the toe or heel actually becomes caught and a more serious fall results. In both cases, the fall and stumble are almost always forward in motion, and can result in injuries to the hands, elbows, shoulders, head, or knees.” 1

Perception and Visibility of Walkway Trip Hazards

Visual cues in the architecture, site planning, and design of interior and exterior spaces facilitate safe use and enjoyment of the premises by its users. Lack of clarity in visual cues, or any defect in their interpretation or comprehension of the environment, can reduce a person’s ability to understand or to safely navigate the environment; and may cause a hazard to become a dangerous condition. A hazard is a physical condition that may cause harm. A condition becomes dangerous with the likelihood or probability of the hazard being encountered in a manner to cause harm.

When a pedestrian encounters an unexpected obstacle or impediment and does not perceive it in their route of travel, trips and falls occur. An obstacle is unexpected if it is unmarked or provides no other visual cue to alert the pedestrian. The visual field of a walking person is moving and dynamically changing, with only a small part of that field being attended to. Obstacles that fall outside of this small field of view are not perceived unless they are conspicuous and unobstructed. If impediments were marked or expected, the pedestrian likely would perceive the existence of the impediment and take appropriate action to either avoid or safely traverse the condition.

Pedestrians typically scan ahead in the direction of their travel, not directly down in front of their feet. Low elements in the path of travel are not readily identified and are frequent causes of falls resulting in injury. Pedestrians are not likely to see and avoid inconspicuous walkway and sidewalk hazards at or near ground level. If the first identification of a hazard comes when there is an interruption of the gait and loss of balance, a trip and fall may result. Abrupt vertical edges as low as 3/8” have been identified as walkway hazards, and are the cause of falls.

Changes in Walkway Elevation

Walking is easiest and safest on stable, planar, flush, and non-slippery surfaces. Conditions that increase the difficulty of negotiating changes in level while walking, can lead to falls and serious injuries. Floors, patios, sidewalks, parking lots, and pathways are all walking surfaces that must be constructed and maintained without tripping hazards. Standards for safe walkways require that walk surfaces be designed, constructed, and maintained to be safe and free from hazards.

Some examples of sidewalks distresses/deficiencies requiring correction are:

• Heaved slabs, step separation, and paver irregularities. A vertical displacement at any point on the walkway could cause pedestrians to trip.
• Spalled areas and cracked concrete. Fragments of concrete or asphalt separated from the surrounding paving and holes and rough spots could cause pedestrians to trip.
• Settled areas that trap water. Sidewalk segments with depressions, reverse cross slopes, or other indentations may create depressions that trap silt and water on the sidewalk and may reduce the slip resistance of the walking or create tripping hazards.
• Tree root damage. Roots from trees growing in adjacent landscaping that cause the walkway surface to buckle and crack could cause pedestrians to trip.

Hazards of Short Flight Stairs and Single Step Transitions

Single-riser stairs should be avoided where possible. In situations where a short flight stair or single step transition exists or cannot be avoided, obvious visual cues shall be provided to facilitate improved step identification. Handrails, delineated nosing edges, tactile cues, warning signs, contrast in surface colors, and accent lighting are examples of some appropriate warning cues.

Conspicuity of Walkway Hazards

Since pedestrians will assume that walkways do not have hazards, property owners must either eliminate hazards, guard hazards from being encountered by unsuspecting pedestrians, or apply visual cues or other such warnings that make hazards reasonably conspicuous so that their existence may be identified before they are encountered in a manner to cause harm.

Nationally recognized standards for providing safe facilities address visual performance and identify that conspicuity (or the likelihood of a person to identify a potential walkway hazard) is a function of size, contrast, and brightness. The relationship between these critical variables will determine whether a person will reliably identify or recognize an object.

Abrupt changes in walkway elevation that contrast poorly with the surrounding walkway material make it likely to blend in visually with the surrounding environment. An abrupt change in walkway elevation’s ability to be readily identified as a hazard may be improved by applying adequate warnings such as delineated nosing edges, tactile cues, warning signs, or contrast in surface colors. Such warnings may assist pedestrians to identify a dangerous condition that could cause a fall and injury; however, such cues or warnings are not a substitute nor do they negate the need for safe design or construction.

Walkway and Sidewalk Maintenance

For property owners, the standard of care for walkways and sidewalks includes maintaining safe premises and ensuring the protection of pedestrian health, safety, and welfare. The property owner is responsible for ensuring that reasonable periodic inspections are conducted to identify hazards, and correcting those hazards in a prompt manner. When dangerous conditions exist, reasonable efforts should be made to remove them or prevent them from being encountered in a manner that could cause harm.

For nearly 30 years, ASTM F1637 - Standard Practice for Safe Walking Surfaces has been a nationally published and recognized consensus standard that provides minimum maintenance requirements for safe walkways, including exterior walkways and sidewalks. It requires:

• Exterior walkways shall be maintained so as to provide safe walking conditions.
• Exterior walkway conditions that may be considered substandard and in need of repair include conditions in which the pavement is broken, depressed, raised, undermined, slippery, uneven, or cracked to the extent that pieces may be readily removed.
• Exterior walkways shall be repaired or replaced where there is an abrupt variation in elevation between surfaces.

Readily available resources from organizations such as the Building Owners and Managers’ Association (BOMA) and the National Safety Council (NSC) offer property-owners further information and guidance on inspecting and maintaining safe pedestrian walkways.

If a hazardous impediment in a level walking surface is located in a premises’ means of egress, the condition may also be subject to local building and fire codes. Building and fire codes require that floors, walkways, and applicable sidewalks and parking lots in a means of egress be reasonably and continuously maintained free from obstructions or impediments to full instant use in the case of fire or other emergency.

Sidewalk Expert Witness Investigations

The Premises Safety experts at Robson Forensic are frequently retained to investigate cases involving slips, trips, and falls as they relate to floors and walkway surfaces, sidewalks, short flight stairs, gratings, wheel stops, and speed bumps, and other architectural features. Our experts are well versed in the standards relevant to pedestrian safety as well as industry standards governing retail, residential, and commercial premises.

For more information, submit an inquiry or contact the author of this article.

1. Handbook of Warnings , Edited by Michael S. Wogalter, 2006, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (Mahwah, NJ), p. 712 ↩

Featured Expert

Thomas J. Lodge, AIA, NCARB

Architecture, construction & premises safety expert, short flight stairs: standards and safety, by mark e. williams.

This article addresses some of the relevant standards and safety features used to improve the safety of short flight stairs and single step transitions. Short Flight Stairs & Single Step…

What is a Safe Floor?

By robson forensic.

This article discusses various aspects of flooring relevant to premises liability disputes, including the influence of flooring selection, installation, and maintenance on slip, trip, and fall…

Walking Your Property to Prevent Falls

Falls are the most common and costly accident type for many commercial businesses. In the following article, published in the April 2011 Newsletter for HospitalityLawyer.com, the Premises Safety group…

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Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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• By Standard Number
• 1910.22 - General requirements.
• Part Number: 1910
• Part Number Title: Occupational Safety and Health Standards
• Subpart: 1910 Subpart D
• Subpart Title: Walking-Working Surfaces
• Standard Number: 1910.22
• Title: General requirements.
• GPO Source: e-CFR

Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces are corrected or repaired before an employee uses the walking-working surface again. If the correction or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface until the hazard is corrected or repaired; and

[81 FR 82983, Nov. 18, 2016]

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• POST a QUESTION or COMMENT on details about recognizing common stair trip and fall hazards.

We also provide a more comprehensive INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES for this topic, but we recommend that you use the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.

On 2018-09-27 by (mod) - minimum stair width in the building code for safety reasons?

There are of course practical width requirements as well, such as the requirements for moving furnishings in and out of an upper floor space.

On 2018-09-27 by Anonymous

On 2018-07-01 by (mod) - What type of craftsman do you contract with to have a new stair built

A carpenter or builder familiar with stair construction. In some cities there are also companies who specialize in custom stair building.

On 2018-06-30 by Our new home

On 2018-02-13 by (mod) -

On 2018-02-13 by Anonymous

On 2018-02-03 by (mod) -

On 2018-02-03 by Shirley jackson

On 2018-01-17 by (mod) - requirements in regard to the safety of a mobile home in Texas?

The TEXAS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS (TAS) https://www.license.state.tx.us/ab/tas/tasappendix.pdf provider "advisory" information for Texas buildings in meeting ADA - including ramps. TX may exclude older or existing buildings from these requirements. In my OPINION your first concern is for personal safety, regardless of "who pays". That is to say, *delays* while arguing about who is going to pay for meeting basic safety recommendations (like smoke detectors, CO detectors, safe steps and rails) have to be balanced against immediate safety hazards.

On 2018-01-17 y cliff carpenter

On 2017-11-13 by (mod) -

If you have an opportunity to send me some sharp photos of the stairs in question I'd sure like to see and comment on that design. Jane: Carpeting on stairs can be - a safety improvement if carpeting adds traction to an otherwise slippery stair surface - a safety hazard if carpeting is thick and soft and perhaps extends the stair tread nose in a soft, unstable walking surface. Similarly, plastic runners designed to add stair safety might improve traction but might also be installed in a manner such as loose or curved tread noses that creates a trip hazard. Plastic runners over carpet? It depends on the carpet and the installation as I've suggested.

On 2017-11-13 by Helping2Improve - "Irregular size steps causing one foot pointing straight forward with the other foot forced to be placed sideway.

Please add clearly and tell everyone "Irregular size steps causing one foot pointing straight forward with the other foot forced to be placed sideway. This means the whole body weight is then on the twisted knee!!" I just had a meniscus tear and/or possibly a ligament tear (awaiting medical confirmation). I didn't fall, but could not walk. Cannot put weight on that leg. Unexpectedly it hurt a lot and continues to hurt. I'm now on crutches, hopefully very temporarily. Was at first puzzled how a sudden sharp pain and injury could happen from just walking slowly and carefully down steps with handrails on a path of a botanical garden.

On 2017-06-19 18:03:45.719871 by Jane

On 2017-04-04 by (mod) - uneven step rise caused trip?

On 2017-04-04 by Janet Ann Zolla

• the affixing of responsibility for steps, rails, maintenance, and installation details is a legal question for the attorneys and code officials in your city and on the case
• in my OPINION in general a property owner is expected to provide safe steps and railings. That responsibility may or may not be spelled out in your property lease under the legal definitions of safe or habitable - questions for an attorney
• around stair fall cases there is often considerable argument about who was responsible for what, including an argument about use of the word "structural"

Research on short flight stairs, stairway obstructions, retail spaces

• Kaufmann, Michael. "Reducing Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents on Walkways and Stairs." In ASSE Professional Development Conference. American Society of Safety Engineers, 2007.
• Marietta, William. "Trip, slip and fall prevention." The Work Environment. Occupational Health Fundamentals. Lewis Publishers, inc. Michigan (1991): 241-276.
• Natalizia, David M. "Avoiding 12 Common Mistakes In Slip, Trip, And Fall Prevention." In ASSE Professional Development Conference and Exhibition. American Society of Safety Engineers, 2009. Roys, Mike. "Steps and stairs." Understanding and Preventing Falls: An Ergonomics Approach (2005): 42.

Continue reading at SLIP TRIP & FALL HAZARD LIST, STAIRS, FLOORS, WALKS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX .

Stair Fall Hazard Articles

• ACCESSIBLE DESIGN
• ADA STAIR & RAIL SPECIFICATIONS
• COLOR / LIGHTING CUES AVOID TRIP HAZARDS
• GRABRAIL GRAB BAR SPECIFICATIONS
• HANDRAILS & HANDRAILINGS
• HALTING WALK STAIR DESIGNS for LOW SLOPES or SHORT STEP RISE
• SLIP TRIP & FALL HAZARD LIST, STAIRS, FLOORS, WALKS
• SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS, EXTERIOR STAIRS
• SLIPPERY STAIRS, WALKS, ROOFS
• SNAG HAZARDS on STAIRWAYS
• SNOW & ICE REMOVAL on WALKS & STAIRS
• TILED WALKING SURFACE SLIP HAZARDS
• STAIR CODES & STANDARDS - home
• STAIR CODE DETAILS
• STAIR CONSTRUCTION IDEAL DIMENSIONS
• STAIR DESIGN for SENIORS
• STAIRWAY CHAIR LIFTS
• STAIR DESIGNS for UNEVEN / SLOPED SURFACES
• STAIR DIMENSIONS, WIDTH, HEIGHT
• STAIR PLATFORMS & LANDINGS, ENTRY
• STAIR RAILS, STAIR GUARDS
• STAIR TREAD NOSE SPECIFICATIONS
• STAIR USER FOOT & HAND PLACEMENT

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to STAIRS RAILINGS LANDINGS RAMPS

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• Falls and Related Injuries: Slips, Trips, Missteps, and Their Consequences, Lawyers & Judges Publishing, (June 2002), ISBN-10: 0913875430 ISBN-13: 978-0913875438 "Falls in the home and public places are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States, but are overlooked in most literature. This book is unique in that it is entirely devoted to falls. Of use to primary care physicians, nurses, insurance adjusters, architects, writers of building codes, attorneys, or anyone who cares for the elderly, this book will tell you how, why, and when people will likely fall, what most likely will be injured, and how such injuries come about. "
• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore . Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com . See our book review of this publication.
• Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
• In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES .
• Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: [email protected] . Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME . Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.

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Stairways - Fall Prevention

On this page, why do we need to worry so much about falls on stairs, what factors must we consider in designing safer stairs.

Stairs of all types have been used since ancient times, and because they are inherently hazardous, people have been falling on them, getting hurt or even killed in the process.

The vast majority of stairway falls result from a loss of balance, just as falls are on the level. Please see our OSH Answers document on Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls .

A very common contributing factor is neglecting to use handrails.

Because stairway accidents can cause severe injury and even death, building codes for stairs and ramps are justifiably very rigorous. Good design can substantially reduce the potential for mis-stepping by providing us with the means to retrieve our balance, but even the best design cannot eliminate falling hazards entirely. The need for proper design also applies to ramps. The fact is that some incidents can be caused by inattention, unsafe behaviour, and inappropriate footwear.

The best approach to minimize the hazard of falling down stairs is to encourage the building of well-designed stairways, combined with training focused on raising our awareness of the potential for disaster.

Stair dimensions

Figure 1 shows the recommended dimension ranges for all the important elements of stairways.

Figure 1: Legend

A - Optimal range: 30º-35º B - Handrail height: between 86.5 and 107 cm* + C - Riser height: between 12.5 and 18 cm* D - Step width: 90 cm min.* E - Tread run: between 25.5 and 35.5 cm*

Within a staircase, treads shall have a uniform run and tread depth that does not vary more than 0.5 to 1 cm*.

+ Note that handrails or guards used for exit stairs and exit ramps (as well as landings) must not be less than 107 cm*, unless the exterior stairs or landing is more than 10 m above the adjacent ground level, where by the guard must be not less than 150 cm*.

* Values are from the National Building Code of Canada (2015). Always check with your local jurisdiction as requirements are different in each area.

The maximum range for a stair slope is 20º-50º. However, because the majority of people prefer a slope of 30º-35º, this is the recommended range.

Steeper stairs change the way you climb them because the steeper they are the more effort you exert. The ratio of riser height and tread depth has to be adjusted accordingly. (See Figures 2 and 3)

From: Kodak's Ergonomic Design for People at Work. 2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2004. p.244

The dimension of risers or treads in a stairway should not vary more than 1 cm. When doors open directly into the stairwell, a 50 cm-wide platform should be provided beyond the swing of the door. The recommended maximum number of steps between landings is 18, with no more than two flights without a change of direction. The depth of any landing should be at least equal to the width of the stairs.

Stair surface

To reduce the risk of slipping on stairs, non-slippery surface on the whole steps or at least on the leading edges is crucial. Such a surface can be made of rubber, or metal or painted with special slip-resistant paint. Regular maintenance of the stairs in good repair plus good housekeeping can reduce hazards for tripping.

Stair handrails

Attempts to design aesthetically pleasing stairways including handrails must not compromise functionality.

The prime function of the handrail is for holding as support while going up or down stairs. Handrails must be “graspable”.

It is therefore crucial to be able to grasp it quickly, easily and firmly if you should start losing your balance.

Figure 4 shows the recommended cross-section and dimensions of a good handrail.

You should be able to run your hand smoothly along the entire length without having to adjust your grip. You should apply the so-called "tennis-racket grip" at all times when possible.

Make sure to keep the necessary horizontal and vertical clearances in the guards to prevent the risk of young children falling through and to not facilitate climbing.

Visibility on stairs

Improving visibility on stairs significantly reduces the risk for common mishaps caused by misjudging distances. Otherwise you can trip on a step or miss it completely. You can catch a heel on the edge of a step. Such mishaps are a routine cause of twisted ankles, sprained knees or more serious injuries incurred by a total fall.

• Recommended illumination should be at the minimum 50 lux level.
• Use angular lighting and colour contrast to improve depth perception.
• Use matte finishes on the treads to avoid glare.
• Avoid patterned carpeting that may visually hide differences in depth.
• Be very cautious on stairs if you are wearing bifocal glasses.

Work activity

• Use any means to persuade people to grasp the handrail while both ascending or descending stairs.
• Avoid carrying objects with both hands.
• Do not carry bulky objects that block your vision.

Housekeeping

Good housekeeping is also vital to stair safety:

• Nothing should be sticking out the surfaces of stairs, handrails or bannisters (like nails or splinters) that could cause a fall.
• Spills, wet spots, or any debris should be immediately cleaned up.
• Broken or malfunctioning lighting should be repaired or replaced.

For more information on Housekeeping see our OSH Answers documents:

Workplace Housekeeping - Basic Guide

Workplace Housekeeping - Checklist for Workplace Housekeeping

• Fact sheet last revised: 2017-09-12

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Learn What Is The Legal Height Of A Trip Hazard In The UK

If you have been injured by a trip hazard, you may be able to claim compensation if it happened because another party breached the duty of care which they owed you. In this guide, we discuss this and related questions, such as “What is the legal height of a trip hazard in the UK?”

What Is The Legal Height Of A Trip Hazard UK And When Could I Claim For A Tripping Accident?

By Stephen Kane. Last Updated 19th March 2024. If you have been injured by a tripping hazard because another party breached their duty of care, then you may be eligible to claim compensation. You may be asking “ What is the legal height of a trip hazard in the UK ?” or if such a thing can even be applied to injury claims.

In this guide, we will discuss the eligibility requirements for claiming for injuries caused by a tripping hazard. This includes tripping accidents either at a workplace or in a public space. We’ll also discuss how a tripping hazard may be defined by local authorities that manage a public area, and the duty of care owed to you in certain situations.

Potential compensation payouts and the benefits of claiming with a No Win No Fee solicitor are also covered in our guide. There are many benefits to working with a solicitor on your claim, such as assistance with gathering evidence to strengthen your case. 

If you would like to learn more, read on, or contact our team of expert advisors today by:

• Calling 0161 696 9685
• Using our online contact form .
• Or by using our 24/7 live chat service.

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What is the legal height of a trip hazard in the uk.

• Who Could Make A Claim For Injuries Caused By A Tripping Hazard?

What Is The Legal Height Of A Trip Hazard UK? – Council Responsibility For Pavements

How long do you have to claim against a council for a tripping accident, compensation payouts for injuries caused by a trip hazard, what evidence could help me receive slip, trip or fall compensation, make a no win no fee claim for injuries caused by a trip hazard in the uk.

• More Information On The Pavement Trip Hazard Height

In law, there is no legal height defined for a pavement trip hazard. The criteria for a pavement defect that is actionable will vary between local authorities. However, many local authorities won’t consider a pavement defect actionable unless it is at least 1-inch (25mm, 2.5cm) high or deep. We’ll explain how to demonstrate the height of a trip hazard later on.

You can’t claim just because you tripped over the hazard. You must be able to demonstrate that it caused you to be injured. For this reason, you should attend A&E or book an appointment with your GP as soon as possible after the accident occurred. Not only will this provide a basis for your claim, but it will also ensure that you get the medical attention needed for your injuries. 

While the hazard height is a crucial aspect, you would also need to demonstrate that the hazard was created by third-party negligence. This could involve, for instance, evidence showing that the local council did not monitor the public park correctly.

For free claims advice on how to proceed with your pavement trip claim , please get in touch with our specialists today .

Who Could Make A Claim For Injuries Caused By A Tripping Hazard? 

It’s important to note that you cannot claim for just identifying a tripping hazard, and not all accidents caused by a trip hazard will result in a successful compensation claim. This is because your case must meet certain criteria in order to be valid, meaning you must be able to prove that:

• You were owed a duty of care
• This duty was breached
• You were injured as a result of this breach 

This also determines who you make your claim against. For example, for tripping hazards in the workplace, such as trailing wires and cluttered walkways, you would claim against your employer. This is because they owe you a duty of care and must take all reasonably practicable steps to keep you safe in the workplace, according to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA).

However, if you are in a public space and trip over a pavement or dislodged paving stone, then your claim may be made against the local council. This is because they are the controller of that space, and as such, owe you a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 (OLA).

If another party breaches their duty of care towards you, and you are injured as a result, then you may be able to claim personal injury compensation. Contact our team for more information.

If a pavement is in a public area which the local council is responsible for, then that council is responsible for the maintenance of the pavement.

Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 (HiA 1980) provides that the highway authority is under a duty to maintain the highway. It is the duty of the highway authority to maintain the road in such a state of repair as to be passable in safety at all seasons of the year.

Under their duty of care, councils should maintain pavements they’re responsible for by carrying out work such as replacing broken or missing slabs and removing weeds when required. Also, to help fulfil this duty, councils will usually carry out regular inspections every year of roads and pavements to identify which ones need the most maintenance. Just how frequent these pavement inspections are can vary from council to council.

That said, you may be wondering, ‘What is the legal height of a trip hazard in the UK when inspecting pavements?’. As mentioned before, there is no specific legal height that defines a pavement trip hazard.

Councils may also respond to public reports about issues with local pavements. An online Government page allows residents in England and Wales to report problems with a pavement directly to their council.

For more advice on whether you may have grounds to claim against a council for breaching their responsibilities following a pavement trip accident, contact our advisors for free today.

In accordance with the Limitation Act 1980 , there is a three-year time limit for starting a personal injury claim against a council. This usually starts from the date your injury occurred. However, the time limit can work differently under certain circumstances.

If the injured party lacks the mental capacity to start their own claim, then the time limit will be frozen indefinitely. While the time limit is frozen, a litigation friend could start a claim against the council on behalf of the person who has been harmed. If, however, the party later regains this mental capacity and a claim has not been made, then they will have three years to start a claim from the day of recovery.

If a child has been injured, then the time limit for starting a claim against the council will be put on hold until their 18th birthday. A litigation friend could start a claim on the child’s behalf before they reach this age. Otherwise, the child will have three years to start their own claim from the date of their 18th birthday.

For more advice on the requirements for claiming for a trip hazard, the meaning of the term or other related matters, get in touch with our advisors for free today.

If your employer were to breach their duty of care you could be injured due to a trip hazard, meaning you could be owed compensation.

Following a successful personal injury claim , your compensation settlement could consist of general and special damages. General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you have endured due to being injured by a workplace trip hazard. To help give you a clearer idea of how much you could receive in general damages for your injury, we have provided the following table. The amounts listed have been taken from the 16 th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG is a document used by various legal professionals to help them value claims, as it lists compensation brackets for different injuries.

Compensation is awarded on a case-by-case basis, so please only use this table as a guide. Also note that the first entry in this table is an estimated figure that is not based on the JCG.

Special damages compensate you for the financial losses you have suffered due to your injury. Some of the financial closes you could claim under special damages include:

• Medical costs.
• Travel expenses.
• Loss of earnings .
• Care costs.

You will need to provide evidence of these losses in order to receive compensation for them. Payslips, bank statements, and invoices could all be used as evidence in your claim.

Contact our advisors today to discuss your particular claim. Our advisors could also help answer questions such as, ‘what is a tripping hazard, and how could my employer be liable if I am injured because of one?’

Slip, trip and fall claims revolve around proving that your injury was the result of third-party negligence. To do this, you will need sufficient evidence. You need to be able to create a causal link between the council’s negligence, for instance, and your injury. Evidence that you could use includes:

• Photographs of your injury and the pavement defect. Photographs of the scene are particularly important as your potential claim revolves around showing that the pavement defect goes above the legal height for a trip hazard.
• Contact details of any witnesses. As part of the claims process, your solicitor can contact them to take statements.
• CCTV footage of the incident. This can give a clearer idea of how the accident occurred.
• A log of the accident report if you have reported the incident. This can help confirm the time, location and date that it took place.
• Doctor’s notes. A medical professional will assess your injury as part of receiving medical treatment. Their notes can be used to show the extent of the injury. Other medical evidence you could use includes copies of any medical scans.

If you have other queries about trip and fall claims, please contact our team of advisors for a free consultation using the details above.

If you’ve been injured by tripping on a hazard that should not have been there or should have been signposted, you may be eligible to claim compensation. A lawyer from our panel could assist you in making a personal injury claim on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under this arrangement, you would not have to pay them any fees for their work upfront or during the course of your claim.

Furthermore, if your claim does not end in compensation, you would not have to pay them for their work.

If your claim is successful, your lawyer will deduct a small percentage from your compensation. This is known as a success fee, and the percentage one can be is legally capped.

To see if you could be eligible to work with a lawyer from our panel, you can contact our advisors. They can also help answer any questions you may have about personal injury claims being made due to trip hazards.

You can reach an advisor today by:

• Using our live chat.
• Filling out our contact us page.

More Information On The Legal Height Of a Trip Hazard

This is the final section of our guide, so we have added some links to resources that may come in handy. If you would like any more information about claiming, please contact our team on the number above.

• Broken Bones – An NHS article that gives advice to help you work out if you have broken a bone.
• The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents – ROSPA are a UK charity that is working towards a world free of accidents.
• Local Authority Complaints – Information from the Local Government and Social Care ombudsman on how to raise formal complaints.

Thank you for reading our guide on the legal height of a trip hazard. If you would like to learn more about the trip hazard height or have further questions, please contact us for free legal advice using the details above.