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Objectives. Understand the importance of slips and fallsIdentify causes and contributing factors that lead to slip, trip, and fall accidentsDescribe elements of a slip and fall prevention program. Significance of Slips and Falls. Over 540,000 slips and falls each year requiring hospitalizationSli
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1. Prevention Slips and Falls in the Healthcare Environment
2. Objectives Understand the importance of slips and falls
Identify causes and contributing factors that lead to slip, trip, and fall accidents
Describe elements of a slip and fall prevention program
3. Significance of Slips and Falls Over 540,000 slips and falls each year requiring hospitalization
Slips and falls account for over 300,000 disabling injuries each year
One in three serious bone breaks for seniors result in death, within one year of the accident.
It is the second leading cause of accidental death and disability after automobile accidents.
Slip and fall accidents account for 30% of all reported injuries.
Statistic Sources: National Safety Council, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ADA, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board,National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Workers’ Compensation Board, CMHC, American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), Canadian Injury Prevention Foundation, Health Canada, B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit, Smart Risk, International Sanitary Supply Assoc. (ISSA).
4. Anatomy of a Slip and Fall Slips and falls are usually caused by a combination of factors, not just a single cause
Multiple factors include floor surface, shoe tread, and items on floors or stairs
5. Same Level Falls Most inside falls are caused by slipperiness related to:
Faulty housekeeping
Dirt, grease, or contamination on floors
Defects
Slippery floor dressing or finish
Inappropriate floor surface or material
Surface wear
Uneven or damaged surface
6. Falls from Stairs Slips and fall from stairs can be caused by:
Faulty housekeeping
Objects, water, or grease on stairs or landings
Defects
No handrail
Handrail at improper height
Improper tread or riser dimensions
Tread surface or materials
7. Other Major Causes Footwear traction
Poor lighting
Environment
8. Slips and Falls Prevention What can we do to prevent slips and falls?
Hazard Assessments/Inspections
Housekeeping
Floor Mats
Floor surface materials
Floor surface treatments
Footwear
9. Slips and Falls Prevention Process
10. Potential Dangerous Spots High loss areas…i.e. kitchens, bathrooms
Transition Areas
Unexpected changes in environment
Distractions
Contaminants
Lighting and temperature
Ramps
11. Measuring Housekeeping Hold first supervisors accountable for cleanliness in their departments
Floor hazards must be periodically sampled and recorded with information given to managers (Unannounced inspections)
Floor cleaning protocols must be tailored to the environment and floor material
Congratulate best performing employees and departments
Measure hazards or cleanliness as these are much more reliable indicators (as opposed to loss data)
12. Floor Mats Benefits
Use at entrances and high contamination areas
Traps moisture and debris
Scrapes and adsorbs moisture, snow, and sand from footwear
Reduces floor maintenance costs by protecting the floor finish
13. Floor Mats Need mats that both abrade and adsorb
Mats need to be sufficient running length and width
Snow – 10 to 12 walking steps
Rain – 8 to 10 walking steps
Dry – 6 to 8 walking steps
Quick exchange of mats when dirty
Should be a contrasting color to floor and affixed to prevent creation of an additional fall hazard
14. Floor Treatments Abrasive floor coatings
Grit Size
(Lower # = Larger Grit Size)
8 – 16 Ramps
16 – 30 General purpose
15. Abrasive Floor Coatings Grit Type (and Hardness)
Silicone Carbide Al. Oxide Quartz
9.5 9.0 7.0
Bonding Material
Epoxy resin Adhesive sheets Paint
Cost/Durability
High---------------------------------------------------------------Low
16. Floor Treatments Chemical Etching
Ceramic tile, quarry tile, concrete
Higher coefficient of friction (COF)
When wet than dry
When more heavily etched
Waxes, polishes
Limitations of COR data offered by manufacturers
Durability an issue
17. Other Floor Surface Materials Carpeting
Inherently slip resistant
Aesthetically pleasing
Some carpets are “spill resistant”
Modular carpet squares allow quick replacement in areas which can become soiled easily
18. When Choosing Flooring What kinds of spills are likely?
What are the sanitary requirements?
Is noise a concern?
Will the area have heavy traffic?
Is it a normally wet environment?
What equipment must the floor hold?
How will the floor be cleaned?
Are aesthetic effects a concern?
19. “Slip Resistant” Footwear Polyurethane microcellular sole material offers best slip resistance
Some manufacturers have experience with slip testing of footwear
Choose footwear appropriate to the environmental conditions
Use may be hard to enforce
20. Prevention of Slips and Falls Prevention needs to address all:
Knowledge of problem areas
Selection of floor surface materials
Maintenance and housekeeping
Prompt removal of contaminants
Footwear
Selection and use of floor mats
Training and Accountability!
21. Summary Slips and falls are a BIG problem
Slips and fall accidents due to:
Poor housekeeping
Lack of traction
Defects
Lighting
Ineffective slip and fall safety process/strategy