Remove the Sources of Potential Slip and Fall Accidents

The good folks at Alliance Insurance Services in Fort Collins, CO want to encourage everyone to take the precautions necessary to help prevent slip and fall accidents in the home.

The statistics from the National Floor Safety Institute are somewhat alarming:

• Every year about one-third of the those who are 65-years old or older suffer from a fall accident. Half of those who fall will do this more than once.
• Of the accidental deaths that occur in the home, half of them are caused by falls.
• Those who fall in the home are more likely to do so from ground level, instead of from an elevation.
• In the United States, there are over 8 million annual hospital visits to the emergency room by those who experience an accidental fall. This represents 21.3% of the causes for emergency room visits. Those who slip and fall are about 1 million people or 12% of all the falls.
• The Center for Disease Control notes that over 15,000 people who were 65-years old or older died from the results of a fall.

Falls can happen to anyone at any age; however, older adults are more likely to experience a fall. Elderly adults have a serious risk of fracturing their hip from a fall.

With all these statistics in mind, it is important to remove things that pose a risk of creating a slip and fall.

Here are the simple things recommended by the National Safety Council that one can do to make their home safer and reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents:

• Remove throw rugs. They are named properly because they can throw you to the floor.
• Reduce clutter.
• Get rid of small furniture and leave plenty of space to move between other furniture.
• Organize power cords so that they do not cross any walking paths.
• Use adhesive strips to make sure any exposed edges of carpet or rugs are held down firmly in place.
• Make sure there is sufficient lighting.
• Put non-slip security strips on any stair steps.
• Use non-slip mats in tubs and shower stalls.
• Install support rails in bathrooms, bathtubs, on stairs, and down each side of the hallways.
• If anything spills, clean it up right away.
• Make use of night lights in the bedrooms, halls, and bathrooms, which are triggered to automatically turn on during low light conditions.
• Avoid the use of ladders by storing things in lower cabinets.
• Use a cane or a walker if needed.

Slip and fall accidents are more common than most people think. By following these tips you can reduce the risk of these accidents. Also, be sure to check with your agent at Alliance Insurance Services in Fort Collins, CO for any questions about your home insurance and to make sure you have adequate coverage.