WEST Devon businesses are this week being encouraged to take extra steps to protect the safety of their employees and customers. This week is Slips and Trips Week and borough council environmental health officers (EHOs) are visiting shopping high streets across the district to give sound advice. Slips and trips are a common cause of injury to employees and customers. They can result in sickness absence for workers, compensation claims from customers and higher insurance premiums. Usually, the causes of accidents are simple things like wet floors, wet mats, leaves or ice on steps and paths. West Devon EHOs have this week been helping retailers to avoid the pitfalls, talking to the owners and managers of shops and other retail businesses, helping them to find problem areas on their property, and handing out useful leaflets. Dave Banks, head of environmental health at the borough council, said: 'Just a simple thing like having a bigger door mat inside your entrance way could save a painful and expensive accident. Doormats should be large enough for customers to take three paces off the wet pavement outside, by which time their shoes should be dry enough not to slip on a polished or smooth floor. 'Computer or cash register cables should be tidied away so that people will not trip up on them. The solutions are easy when you think about them — in fact they are just plain common sense.' He added: 'Prevention of accidents is the main aim, but shopkeepers should also be aware of the rules if there is an accident. For example, they should inform us if a member of the public is injured and is taken to hospital - however trivial the injury may seem at first, it can develop into something much more serious - both for the customer and the business.' Cllr Jayne Hill, chairman of the council's environment and community committee, said: 'Safety must be a priority for all businesses and the council's environmental health officers are trained experts when it comes to spotting issues that may cause problems. We're here to help and I hope that business people will use our knowledge wisely.' More information is available on the council's website at http://www.westdevon.gov.uk">www.westdevon.gov.uk or the Health and Safety Executive's website at http://www.hse.gov.uk">www.hse.gov.uk