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We all slip and fall over from time to time. It’s never a pleasant experience, and even though many slips and falls at home aren’t all that serious, a lot of them can lead to some nasty injuries. Statistics show that eight million people have to go to the hospital every year because of falls, and 5% of all fall incidents lead to fractures.
Since these incidents can be quite dangerous, it’s important to try and avoid them as much as possible. While out and about, people can wear shoes with good traction and make use of handrails and signs to avoid slippery areas, but what about at home? A lot of slips and falls happen around the house, after all.
Well, there are also many ways you can reduce your risk and your family’s risks of having any kind of falls at home. This guide will go over some useful tips and proven methods to help make your home a fall-free zone.
Clean Spillages Right Away
It’s perfectly normal for spillages to happen around the house. Liquids of all kinds can accidentally spill over the floors when you knock over a glass of water or spill some food while moving between the kitchen and the dining table, for instance.
If and when these spillages occur, it’s important to respond to them right away. If you leave liquids and slippery substances on the ground, there will be a high risk of someone else coming along and slipping on them accidentally.
Keep Everyone Informed
When you encounter a slippery area at work or out and about in public areas, there are usually some signs around to let you know that you should be extra careful in that particular area. But at home, you can’t exactly set up signs and tape to block off areas after cleaning them.
So, if you live with several other people, make sure to let them know if spillage has occurred or if a part of the floor has recently been cleaned. This way, people will be able to take extra care when walking in those areas to avoid any nasty slips.
Clear Up Clutter
Slippery surfaces aren’t the only risk factor when it comes to causing falls. Falls may also occur because of people tripping or stumbling over items and objects that have been left around on the floors.
It’s usually much more common for falls to happen in untidy homes as there are more tripping hazards littered around than clean and tidy homes without any major obstacles in the way. So be sure to keep your home neat and tidy, clearing away clutter and not letting objects pile up on the ground, especially in key areas around stairs and hallways.
Get Rid of Ice and Snow
If you live in an area that gets cold winters with ice and snowfall, it’s important to understand the risks of letting ice and snow build up on your property over time. If you leave it too long, even accessing the property or getting out to your car can become a terrible, risk-laden journey.
There are even situations in which you might be held legally liable if someone else comes along and falls due to the build-up of ice and snow on your property. So it’s important to deal with this however you can by shovelling snow and using de-ice products as necessary.
Be Very Careful in the Bathroom
The bathroom is one of the main risk areas for slip and fall accidents, due to the fact that people often walk around barefoot in the bathroom and it’s easy for moisture and slippery surfaces to build up due to the presence of sinks, showers, and baths. Falling in the bathroom can be really dangerous too, as there are a lot of hard objects you might collide with.
So you need to be particularly careful in this room. A good method is to purchase some non-slip mats and fit them in the bath and around the room so that you can step in and out of the bath or shower with minimal risk of slipping over. It’s also wise to be extra vigilant and elderly people may even want to get some guardrails installed.
Final Word
Slips and falls can lead to some nasty injuries like broken bones and concussions, so you really will want to avoid them as well as you possibly can. Keep these tips in mind to help reduce the risk of falls in your own home.
