Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls in Hospitality Venues

Preventing slips, trips and falls requires more than wet-floor signs. A practical system identifies where contaminants, damaged surfaces, clutter, cables, poor lighting, unsuitable footwear and rushed work can combine; eliminates or minimises the risks; gives staff a rapid spill response; and checks that controls remain effective.

Hospitality venues change through every service. Ice drops at the bar, oil reaches the kitchen floor, cartons block a delivery path and chairs move into access routes. Controls therefore need to operate before, during and after trade.

Confirm the WHS framework

Work health and safety laws and regulators vary by state and territory. Safe Work Australia develops national model policy and guidance but is not the local regulator. Confirm the duties, consultation, incident notification and record requirements that apply in the venue’s jurisdiction.

The general risk-management approach is to eliminate risks so far as reasonably practicable, and if elimination is not possible, minimise them so far as reasonably practicable. Use a combination of controls rather than relying only on procedures or personal protective equipment.

This article focuses mainly on same-level slips, trips and falls. Work at height, ladders, roofs, platforms, loading docks and construction work may require different assessments and controls.

Divide the venue into risk zones

Walk the full path used by staff, customers, suppliers and contractors.

• external footpaths, ramps and entries;
• customer dining and queuing areas;
• toilets;
• stairs and level changes;
• coffee station;
• bar and glasswash area;
• kitchen, dishwash and cool rooms;
• dry store and chemical store;
• delivery and waste routes;
• staff rooms and offices;
• loading area, yard and car park; and
• temporary event or outdoor spaces.

Mark recurring spill, leak, clutter and incident points on a simple floor plan. Include times: an entry may be safe when dry and hazardous during rain; the glasswash path may fail only at peak service.

Identify the causes

Slips

Common contaminants include water, oil, grease, food, detergent residue, ice, condensation and wet leaves. A floor that looks dry may still have reduced grip from residue or an unsuitable cleaning product.

Trips

Look for cords, hoses, curled mats, broken tiles, uneven thresholds, open drawers, cartons, bags, bins, chair legs, low displays and changes in surface height.

Falls and loss of balance

Poor lighting, missing handrails, unstable steps, blocked vision while carrying, reaching from unsuitable equipment and rushing can turn a small misstep into an injury.

Do not write “staff carelessness” as the cause without examining the environment and work design. Why was the person rushing? Why did the route cross a spill area? Why was storage unavailable?

Choose controls using the hierarchy

Eliminate

• repair the leak;
• remove the unnecessary cord;
• replace damaged flooring;
• relocate storage out of the walkway;
• redesign a route so staff do not carry through the customer queue.

Isolate or engineer

• close the affected area and use another route;
• install drainage, guards, rails or suitable fixed matting;
• add power points to remove trailing leads;
• improve lighting;
• change the glasswash or ice layout;
• provide suitable spill equipment close to the risk.

Administrative controls

• opening inspections;
• spill response;
• planned cleaning and dry time;
• delivery and waste windows;
• housekeeping standards;
• hazard reporting;
• maintenance close-out; and
• training and supervision.

Personal protective equipment

Suitable slip-resistant footwear may form part of the control system, especially in wet or greasy work areas. It should not substitute for fixing leaks, surfaces, drainage or work design.

Inspect before opening

The opening person should check:

• entries, ramps, stairs and external conditions;
• floor damage, level changes and secure mats;
• lighting;
• leaks, condensation and drainage;
• cords, hoses and equipment placement;
• clear aisles, exits and access routes;
• spill kits and barriers;
• dry floor after cleaning;
• delivery and waste path; and
• temporary changes from maintenance or functions.

Record material hazards and action. If a control cannot be completed immediately, isolate the area and provide a safe alternative route where possible. A note for later is not enough if people remain exposed.

Connect the check to the hospitality opening and closing checklist.

Use a rapid spill response

Give all staff a simple sequence:

1. Guard: remain at or block the hazard so nobody walks through it.
2. Signal: call for the spill kit, barrier and manager.
3. Isolate: restrict access and redirect customers and workers.
4. Remove: use the approved method for the substance.
5. Dry: leave the surface in a safe condition; remove residue.
6. Inspect: check the wider area, footwear transfer and source.
7. Reopen: only when the authorised person confirms the route is safe.
8. Report: record the hazard, cause and further action where required.

A warning sign alerts people; it does not clean, dry or isolate the risk. Place signs so they do not create another trip hazard.

For oil, glass, chemicals, sewage or biological contamination, use the specific procedure and suitable protective equipment. Escalate if staff are not trained or the spill cannot be controlled safely.

Plan cleaning around pedestrian risk

The cleaning method can create a hazard. Confirm:

• correct product and dilution;
• whether residue reduces grip;
• tools suitable for the surface;
• area isolation;
• drying time and ventilation;
• clean water and mop control;
• sequence that keeps an exit route available; and
• final inspection.

Avoid mopping the only access route while customers are using it. Use the cleaning and sanitising schedule to assign methods and verification.

Control service-period hazards

Kitchen and dish area

Position mats and equipment so they are stable and cleanable. Repair leaks. Keep oil and food off walkways. Store utensils, crates and chemical containers away from foot paths. Plan dirty-dish flow to reduce collisions.

Bar

Manage ice, glasswash overspray, wet glass racks, drains and broken glass. Keep bar tools and cartons off the floor. Give the barback a clear route that does not cross guests unnecessarily.

Dining room

Maintain clear aisles, accessible paths and stable furniture. Clean dropped food promptly. Do not carry loads that block the worker’s view. Use trays and smaller loads where that reduces risk.

Delivery and waste

Schedule large deliveries where possible. Keep ramps and doors clear. Separate waste leaks from food and customer paths. Provide enough storage so cartons are not “temporarily” placed in an aisle.

Design work to reduce rushing

High demand can cause people to take shortcuts. Review:

• staffing at known peaks;
• distance between workstations;
• storage height and location;
• whether workers carry too much;
• order flow and printer position;
• cleaning responsibility during service;
• access to spill equipment;
• break timing and fatigue; and
• whether performance expectations encourage unsafe speed.

Ask staff where they nearly slip, collide or lose balance. Consultation often identifies risks that an opening inspection misses.

Include customers, contractors and visitors

The venue’s controls must consider people who do not know the layout. Children, older people, mobility-aid users, delivery drivers and first-time contractors may respond differently to steps, lighting, congestion and temporary routes.

Keep accessible paths clear, position queues away from level changes, and provide a stable alternative when an area is isolated. Do not direct a wheelchair user or person carrying goods onto an unassessed route merely because the main path is wet.

Coordinate with cleaners, landlords, shopping-centre management, maintenance providers and event organisers where duties overlap. Record who controls the surface, who repairs it, what temporary protection is in place and when completion is verified. Reporting a leak to the landlord does not control the exposure while people continue to walk through it.

Review after seasonal and layout changes

Reassess controls before wet weather, outdoor events, new furniture, changed flooring, equipment moves, delivery-route changes or a new cleaning product. Observe the first real service after the change. A floor sample that has good grip when dry may behave differently with oil, water or detergent residue.

Use incident and near-miss locations to decide where to improve drainage, lighting, storage or work flow rather than only increasing inspection frequency.

Maintain surfaces and equipment

Create a fault record for:

• broken tiles and transitions;
• loose nosings or handrails;
• failed drains;
• leaking refrigerators, taps or machines;
• damaged mats;
• worn anti-slip treatments;
• poor lighting; and
• doors or gates affecting the path.

Use the equipment maintenance and fault reporting schedule for isolation and close-out. Keep the hazard controlled until competent repair is verified.

Respond after a fall or near miss

Protect the person and call emergency services where needed. Prevent further exposure, preserve the area and follow the venue’s incident procedure. Some serious incidents may be notifiable and require site preservation; check the local WHS regulator before disturbing the site except to help an injured person, remove a deceased person, make the site safe or as otherwise permitted.

Record:

• exact location and time;
• surface and contaminant condition;
• task and route;
• footwear and load only where relevant;
• lighting and weather;
• immediate controls;
• injury or treatment information on a restricted basis;
• witnesses or available evidence; and
• corrective action and verification.

Report near misses too. Use Hospitality Incident and Near-Miss Reporting and obtain jurisdictional advice for notification.

Worked scenario: leaking glasswasher

During Friday service, water repeatedly appears behind the bar. Staff mop it and put out a sign, but the floor becomes wet again.

The bar lead stops treating mopping as the final control. They isolate the affected section, redirect staff, reduce use of the machine and escalate the fault. The duty manager decides whether the bar can operate safely, records the hazard and arranges competent repair. After repair, the venue checks for leaks under load and reviews drainage and cleaning residue.

The sign was a temporary warning. Fixing the source and verifying the repair controls the recurring risk.

Common mistakes

• Blaming the injured person without investigating the system.
• Using a sign as the only spill control.
• Reopening before the floor is dry and residue-free.
• Leaving cartons or cables in “temporary” positions.
• Cleaning the only route during customer use.
• Ignoring small leaks because no one has fallen yet.
• Relying only on footwear.
• Failing to inspect external areas during rain or darkness.
• Recording an incident without a maintenance action.
• Checking the repair visually but not under real use.

Slips, trips and falls checklist

• ☐ Map customer, worker, supplier and waste routes.
• ☐ Identify recurring hazards by zone and time.
• ☐ Consult staff and review incidents and near misses.
• ☐ Eliminate leaks, clutter and unnecessary crossings where practicable.
• ☐ Improve surfaces, drainage, lighting, storage and barriers.
• ☐ Keep spill kits and isolation equipment accessible.
• ☐ Train the guard–isolate–clean–dry–inspect sequence.
• ☐ Plan cleaning so safe routes remain available.
• ☐ Check footwear as one part of the control system.
• ☐ Record floor, lighting, drain and equipment faults.
• ☐ Investigate incidents and near misses promptly.
• ☐ Verify repairs and review controls after changes.
• ☐ Confirm local WHS notification and site-preservation requirements.

Take the next useful action

Walk from the delivery door to storage, storage to each station, and each station to waste during a busy period. Mark every point where a person’s view is blocked, surfaces change, liquids accumulate or routes cross. Assign the highest-risk fix today.

Use the Venue Opening Checklist for routine readiness. The Venue Opening & Operations Pack provides editable operational controls.

General-information limitation: General operational information only. Confirm the WHS laws, codes, notification thresholds, site-preservation duties, building requirements, footwear needs and surface controls that apply in the venue’s state or territory with the regulator and a competent WHS adviser.

References

• Slips, trips and falls, Safe Work Australia. Accessed 25 August 2026.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities, Safe Work Australia. Accessed 25 August 2026.
• Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks, Safe Work Australia. Accessed 25 August 2026.

Source review date: 25 August 2026