Avoiding Slips - Make Your House Safer!

March 15, 2017

Don't underestimate the risks!
It’s very easy to underestimate the danger of these simple, common hazards. Yet slips and falls are responsible for thousands of injuries and compensation claims every year and can cause long-term pain and suffering.
While the statistics are daunting, the good news is that that this type of injury is highly preventable. Slips, trips and falls can be easily avoided, simply by following some basic, common-sense safety procedures. The risks of injury are as high at home as they are at work, so preventing slips and falls is everyone’s business.

Slips
Slips happen when there is not enough friction between your foot and the walking surface, causing you to lose your balance. Common causes of slips include:

• wet or oily surfaces
• occasional spills
• weather hazards
• loose, unanchored rugs and mats

However, slips are most often caused by a sudden change in surface conditions. As your footing becomes less secure, you make split second balance adjustments, which may lead to injuries and falls.

You’re more likely to slip when you step from:

• a dry spot to a wet one
• a rough floor covering (carpet) to a smooth one (marble tile)
• a clean, bare surface onto a patch of something loose or slick

Icy surfaces are an obvious risk, but what about the snow and ice you track inside on your shoes? Pools of water on the floor can be as dangerous as any ice patch. The little things you forget, like mopping up a wet floor, often cause the biggest hazards.

So what can one do about it?

• Look before you walk – make sure your pathway is clear (obvious but true) 
• Clean up spills immediately.
• Shovel, salt and/or sand stairs and paths to clear ice and snow.
• When walking on slick or wet surfaces, move slowly so you can react to traction changes.
• Get a good, anti-slip floor mats to all the places that can get wet (door mate, kitchen, bathroom)

Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Also in Cat Lovers Blog