Trips and falls: not just for patients

Slips, trips and falls account for 26% of workday injuries among nursing care facility workers with nursing home staff, care aides and food service workers recording the highest rate of fall-related injuries. Research confirms that most slips, trips, and falls are caused by preventable factors (e.g., water on the floor or loose cords in a walkway). Fall-related injuries are second only to overexertion injuries that receive most of the research funding.
WHERE ARE THE HAZARDS?
Contaminants on the floor are the number one cause of falls. This can include water, grease, oil, fluid or food. Wet areas such as food service and decontamination stations can be hazardous. Soap dispensers that are not properly maintained or filled can cause slippery spillage along with drinking fountains. Building entrances where water and mud can be tracked inside also pose a risk for falls.

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS?
Slippery floors can be addressed through changes such as improvements in housekeeping practices (e.g., correctly using wet floor signs, immediately cleaning up spills, correctly removing grease, aggressively mopping building entrances on wet days). Floors that are frequently wet (e.g., bathrooms and kitchens) should be textured so they are not slick when covered with water or other contaminants.

Employees assisting residents in these wet environments should consider wearing slip-resistant shoes for additional traction. Employees working in kitchens may benefit from wearing slip-resistant shoes during their entire shift.

Training about recording and coding the initial injury event should be provided to workers to ensure that the specifics of each injury event are properly documented and coded in injury records. Workers should also be trained to recognize common workplace slip, trip, and fall hazards and mitigate these hazards promptly.

To help you identify different hazards in your healthcare facility, a useful checklist can be found on page 35 of the CDC workbook, Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention for Healthcare Workers.

It is hoped more institutions will recognise the significant portion of the injury burden among nursing care facility workers caused by slips, trips, and falls and take steps toward prevention.

References
Bell J et al. Slip, trip and fall injuries among nursing care facility workers. 25 Mar 2013. Workplace Health Saf. 2013 Apr; 61(4): 147–152.
Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention for Healthcare Workers. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. NIOSH.