4 ways to automate a slips, trips and falls risk assessment

Liam Jones

Liam Jones

Founder, Pilla App

Date Modified

26 May 2026

I'm Liam Jones, founder of Pilla and a qualified management consultant. I've helped hundreds of businesses set up workflows, and in this article I'm going to show you four real examples of how to set up your slips, trips and falls risk assessment. I'll start from the simplest and then add some more powerful options. You can open up each template in our workflow builder playground as a starting point and experiment for yourself. If you have any suggestions or you need some help, you can email me directly.

Key Takeaways

Article Content

#1 - Simple assessment

Who it's for: Single-site businesses recording the assessment themselves, recording it themselves.

What it is: A slips, trips and falls risk assessment records where someone could slip, trip, or fall, the people at risk, the controls, and any further action. This version keeps each risk in one group: the hazard, who's at risk, controls in place, risk level, and further action. You add one group per risk, a wet floor by the kitchen door, a trailing cable behind the bar, a poorly lit step.

Available on: Basic.

In practice: A pub assesses the entrance that gets wet when it rains. For "slip on wet floor at the entrance", they note who's at risk (customers and staff), the controls (a mat, a wet-floor sign kept by the door, a mop to hand), rate it medium, and the further action: fit a longer entrance mat. Next location, next group.

Why it works: Slips and trips are the most common cause of workplace injury, and almost all are preventable. Keeping each location in one group makes it a real assessment of where someone could fall and what stops them.

Steps included:

  • 1 grouped assessment (one group per risk): hazard, who's at risk, controls in place, risk level, further action
  • Duplicate the group for each slips, trips and falls risk

When to upgrade:

  1. A manager does the assessment and needs prompting
  2. You want to attach evidence of the controls
  3. You run more than one site and need a signed, dated record
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#2 - With guidance

Who it's for: Businesses where a manager completes the assessment.

What it is: The simple assessment with a guidance note in the group, on the common slip and trip hazards, wet or contaminated floors, trailing cables, changes of level, and poor lighting, and the controls: prompt clean-up, wet-floor signs, non-slip flooring, cable management, and good lighting.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

  1. The common hazards are on screen, so none are missed
  2. The manager knows the controls that reduce each one
  3. The assessment is consistent whoever completes it

Why it works: The guidance sits in the group with the fields, so the assessor works through every hazard, not just the obvious ones.

Steps included:

  • 1 guidance note in the group (the common hazards and controls)
  • 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action

When to upgrade: When the assessment needs evidence of the controls (Slips, Trips and Falls RA #3) or a signed, dated record (#4).

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#3 - With photo evidence

Who it's for: Businesses that want to show the controls are real, the wet-floor signs, the non-slip matting, the fixed handrail.

What it is: The guided assessment plus a photo or attachment in the group. Evidence the controls exist.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

  1. A photo of the control, captured at the time
  2. A record that the controls are in place, not just named
  3. A baseline to compare at the next review

Why it works: A photo of the control in place is proof it exists, which matters most after any incident.

Steps included:

  • 1 guidance note in the group (the common hazards and controls)
  • 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
  • 1 photo in the group (the control)

When to upgrade: When the assessment needs a named, dated sign-off (Slips, Trips and Falls RA #4).

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#4 - With photo and signature

Who it's for: Multi-site groups that need a signed, dated assessment, signed, dated, and reviewable from head office.

What it is: The assessment plus a signature in the group. The assessor signs to confirm it and set a review date.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

  1. A signature confirming who assessed and when
  2. A clear point to set the next review date
  3. A complete, dated record an auditor treats as best practice

Why it works: The signature makes the assessment owned and dated, and across sites it lets a safety lead confirm every site has assessed it.

Steps included:

  • 1 guidance note in the group (the common hazards and controls)
  • 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
  • 1 photo in the group (the control)
  • 1 signature in the group (assessed by)

When to upgrade: When you want Poppi to prompt the review itself, or pull every site's slips, trips and falls assessments into one report. Those versions are coming in the next post update.

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How to pick the right version

You don't need to know our product to choose. Just answer three questions.

Is it just you assessing, or does a manager do it?

If you do it yourself, a plain assessment is enough. The moment a manager does it, the common hazards and controls need to be on screen. If only you assess, #1 is fine. If a manager does, start at #2.

Do you need evidence, or is a written record enough?

A written assessment meets the duty. A photo of the control makes it stronger. If a written record is enough, stop at #2. If you want evidence, #3 adds it.

Does it need a signed, dated sign-off?

For a single site, the record can stand alone. Across sites, an auditor wants a signature on each. If no sign-off is needed, #3 is enough. If you run more than one site, #4 adds a signature.

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need a slips and trips risk assessment?

If you employ anyone, you must assess significant risks, and slips and trips are the single most common cause of major injury at work. A short, recorded assessment shows you've identified the hazard spots and the controls.

What are the main slip and trip hazards?

Wet or contaminated floors (spills, cleaning, rain at entrances), trailing cables, obstructions in walkways, changes of level and steps, and poor lighting. The guidance version lists them so nothing is missed.

What controls reduce slips and trips?

Clean spills straight away, use wet-floor signs, fit non-slip flooring and footwear, manage cables, keep walkways clear, and light areas well. The slips and trips training is how you brief staff on them.

How often should it be reviewed?

At least annually, after any slip or trip incident, and when the layout, flooring, or lighting changes. Version #4 captures the sign-off and is the point to set the next review.

Where to go next

Slips and trips are the most common workplace injury and almost all are preventable. A slips, trips and falls risk assessment is how you show you've identified the hazard spots and the controls. The versions above move from a simple assessment to a signed, dated record.

Five more versions are coming in the next refresh that bring AI into the picture. Poppi can prompt the review and pull every site's assessments into one report. Those need more review time and will land separately.

ā†’ Build your own slips, trips and falls risk assessment on Pilla. The Basic plan unlocks the simple assessment today.