Slips, Trips and Falls in Schools Toolbox Talk

This slips, trips and falls toolbox talk template from Health & Safety Zone is designed for teaching and support staff in schools.

The brief covers the most common slip and trip hazards found in classrooms, corridors, laboratories, gyms and playgrounds, such as wet floors, spilled liquids, loose cables, cluttered walkways and damaged flooring. It explains how these conditions can cause fractures, sprains, concussions and other serious injuries.

• Use this talk for: daily staff briefings, new staff induction, refresher sessions before term start, and safety audits.
• What it includes: a clear purpose, hazard overview, injury mechanisms, over ten practical do and don’t actions, and key safety reminders.
• Fully editable and shareable: replace placeholders, adapt examples to your school’s layout and customise the language to match your safety culture.

Following the guidance helps reduce incident rates, supports a proactive safety culture, and provides a documented safety briefing that can be referenced during inspections.

By implementing these steps schools demonstrate compliance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the relevant British Standards for slip‑resistant flooring.

The content also reflects best‑practice advice from the UK Department for Education, reinforcing the duty of care owed to pupils and staff.

This toolbox talk can be integrated into the school’s safety management system, used during staff inductions, and referenced during health and safety inspections to show proactive risk mitigation.

Compliant with: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.