Trip Hazard Removal Gold Coast

Common trip hazards we fix

Asphalt lifted by tree roots. Sunken areas and dips where water sits. Lips where new asphalt meets old, or where asphalt meets a concrete path, kerb or slab. Broken and crumbling edges along gardens and lawns. Raised or sunken asphalt around pits, drains, grates and service covers. Potholes and loose stone in walkways and car park aisles. Failed patches that have lifted above the surface around them.

Any change in level of more than a few millimetres can catch a foot, a walking frame, a pram or a shopping trolley. On busy sites, that is a real risk to people and a real risk of a claim.

How trip hazards form

Most trip hazards in asphalt start the same way potholes do. Water gets under the surface through a crack or a join, softens the base, and the asphalt above it sinks or breaks. Around pits and drains, the base is often disturbed when services are installed, so it settles over time and leaves a dip or a lip around the cover.

Tree roots are the other big cause on the Gold Coast. As roots grow under a driveway, path or car park, they lift the asphalt into ridges and humps that get worse every year.

How we remove trip hazards

Each hazard is fixed to suit what caused it, because a quick fix that ignores the cause just comes back.

Raised asphalt can be profiled down flush with the surface around it. Root damage is cut out, the roots under the surface are dealt with, and the area is rebuilt. Sunken areas and failed patches are cut out, the base is fixed and compacted, and new hot mix asphalt is laid and rolled level. Lips at joins and around pits are cut back and tied in so there is a smooth, even transition.

The goal is simple. A flush, sealed surface that someone can walk across without catching a foot.

Why the base matters for trip hazards too

A dip or sunken patch is almost always a base problem. If we only added asphalt on top to level it out, the soft base underneath would keep settling and the hazard would return. That is why sunken areas are dug out and the base rebuilt before new asphalt goes down. Asphalt is only as good as what is under it.

For property managers, body corporates and businesses

Trip hazards in car parks, walkways and entries are one of the most common sources of public liability claims. Being able to show that hazards were identified and fixed quickly is important for owners, managers and insurers.

We can inspect a site, mark up and photograph every hazard, and give you a priced list so you can fix the worst first and plan the rest. Before and after photos of each repair are available for your records, safety register or committee.

Sites we work on

Shopping centres and retail car parks. Body corporate and strata complexes. Retirement villages and aged care sites, where trip hazards are a particular concern. Schools, churches and sporting clubs. Medical centres, offices and business parks. Industrial sites and depots. Caravan parks. Home driveways and paths across the Gold Coast.

Working around residents and customers

Trip hazard repairs are usually small, quick jobs spread around a site. We work in small sections, cone and barricade each area, and can book quieter times or after hours so residents, patients or customers are not disrupted. Most repairs are walkable and drivable the same day.

Noticed a hazard forming?

If you see a small dip, a lifted edge or a lip starting to form, it is far cheaper to fix now than once it has become a hole or someone has had a fall. Take a photo, keep people clear if it is already a risk, and call or text us on 0495 031 900 for a quick price.

Hazards on public footpaths and roads

If the trip hazard is on a public footpath or road, it belongs to the council or the state, not you. Report it to your local council, or to Transport and Main Roads on 13 19 40 for state roads. If someone has been hurt or is in danger, call 000. We repair hazards on private property.