Preventing Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents in Florida Hospitals
A study published in the journal Ergonomics found that people who work in hospitals are far more likely to lose work time and file Workers Compensation claims due to slip/trip/fall injuries than people in other private industry sectors.
The 10-year study -- which took place between 1996 - 2005, and whose authors were affiliated with the CDC, NIOSH, and health care facilities in the U.S. and Finland -- reported that lost workdays for hospital employees who had suffered slip-trip and fall injuries amounted to 35.2 per 10,000 full-time equivalents (FTE). That statistic is 75 percent greater than the average for all other private industries combined (which is 20.2 per 10,000 FTEs).
Causes of Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents and Injuries
Hospitals, of all places, should be safe for both staff and patients. However, just like other establishments such as restaurants and hotels, hospitals can be prone to the same safety hazards that cause people to slip or trip and fall and get hurt -- wet floors and slick or slippery spots being the most common cause, along with obstacles on the floor or in walkways, loose or nonexistent handrails, and damaged flooring and stairs/steps.
Florida slip, trip and fall lawyers are sometimes consulted by individuals and families who suffer broken bones or other serious injuries as a result of slipping and falling while on the property of a commercial establishment. Premises liability may be an issue in some of those cases.
The Ergonomics study revealed that housekeepers, food services staff, and transport and EMS staff were at highest risk of suffering personal injury in a slip/trip/fall accident. The study went on to make recommendations for broad-based prevention programs for hospitals, including cause identification and hazard assessment, improvements to flooring, changes to housekeeping procedures and products, programs for outside ice and snow removal, and slip-resistant footwear for certain groups of employees.
Evaluation of a comprehensive slip, trip and fall prevention programme for hospital employees
Ergonomics, Volume 51, Issue 12 December 2008, pages 1906 - 1925
Related Web Resources
Slips, Trips & Falls
The International Contact Group for Researchers
