Terri Ramsey Beavers Slip and fall accidents can happen to any person and may cause body injuries some of which go away on their own and others require medical treatment. There are approximately one million hospitalizations for slip and fall accidents annually and about 13% of deaths in the United States are from slips and falls. This is therefore a very common problem that can occur in any setting.
Slips and falls can cause minor injuries that can be relieved at home while sometimes serious injuries might result in causing chronic pain. You can get help for pain caused by a slip and fall at American Interventional Pain Institute so that you can perform activities without pain.
How Can You Prevent Slips and Falls?
You can slip and fall if you walk on a wet or uneven floor which does not have a warning sign. Liquids, grease, or even ice can make surfaces more slippery therefore increasing the risk of slips and falls. Walking in a dark place may cause you to slip and fall and risk being injured by objects on the floor. Some professions like construction, housekeeping, catering, and working in a factory have a higher risk of slips and falls.
Old people are also more likely to slip and fall because they might have eyesight problems or confusion that can make them unable to identify risky areas. Old age also comes with increased risk of chronic diseases like hypertension and high blood pressure can cause dizziness and blurred vision which can increase the risk of a slip and fall.
To prevent the risk of a slip and fall, you should avoid slippery floors. It is a requirement for cleaners to put up warning signs of a wet floor. When liquids spill on the floor, you should immediately clean them to avoid falling. You should also ensure that rooms are well lit and remove objects from the walkways. You should never put cables on the walkway.
Always watch where you go so that you can notice obstacles or slippery surfaces and avoid falling. If you have to pick a call or respond to a text, do so while standing or sitting but not when you are walking. Always ensure that you tie your shoelaces when you are walking and wear the appropriate shoes for the place and activity that you are doing. It also helps to keep in mind the condition of the places that you walk in, for example, places with potholes.
What are the First Aid Precautions for Slip and Fall?
When you are going to attend to a person who has slipped and fallen, first ensure your safety so that you do not also get injured as you try to save them. Assess whether the person is responsive by calling out their name or by tapping them. If the person is unconscious, you may need to ask for help from another person or notify the emergency service.
Confirm if the person is breathing and if they are, put them in the recovery position. If the person is not breathing, check for a pulse and if you cannot feel it, start CPR as you wait for the emergency team. If the person is conscious, ask them about the events leading to the fall to rule out a serious medical condition that needs medical attention.
Ask them where it hurts the most while checking for any serious injuries or bleeding. If they are bleeding profusely, apply pressure to the area with a piece of clean cloth and immediately call a medical team or plan to take them to the hospital. If you suspect that they have injured their spine after falling from a height, do not move them to avoid further damage to the spine. if they have no serious injuries, reassure them and help them stand or sit.
Slips and falls are very common accidents that can happen to anyone and may cause no injuries or serious injuries other times. You should avoid slippery floors, watch where you step, and remove obstacles from the walkway. First aid for falls depends on whether the person is responsive or unresponsive.