Slips, Trips and Falls. WTF!!

Slips, trips and falls show up on almost every SWMS and JHA — but they’re basic skills, not risks. Here’s why WHS iin Australia s out of touch and needs a reset.

Every site, every yard, every workshop — the same SWMS or JHA filled with generic hazards. Slips, trips, falls. Wear PPE. Don’t lift too heavy.

Tick, tick, tick. Job done. Except it isn’t!!

Pre-populated paperwork isn’t safety — it’s noise. It hides the real risks behind a wall of common sense. Workers skim, sign, and get on with the job. Meanwhile, the hazards that actually matter are ignored.

The truth is simple: slips, trips and falls aren’t “risks” to be managed — they’re basic skills that come with doing the job. If someone can’t manage that, they shouldn’t be on the job in the first place.

Where our attention belongs is on the real risks that sit outside those baseline skills. The ones that change depending on the job, the conditions, or the team. That’s where planning, controls, and conversation should focus.

But too often, WHS in Australia has drifted away from reality. The people writing the rules aren’t the ones doing the work. The result? Paperwork that covers backs instead of keeping people safe.

It’s time for a reset.

Safety paperwork should be:

• Short — one page, not six.

• Specific — only today’s job, not every possible hazard.

• Worker-driven — the team doing the job calls out the risk.

• Living — if things change, the paperwork changes too.

At HelmOps, that’s exactly how we work with small businesses, marine operators, and contractors: cut the fluff, focus on what really matters, and keep people safe for real.

Ready to Reset?

If you’re tired of paperwork that misses the point, HelmOps can help you strip it back to what matters: managing real risk.