The Prepared Home

Ideas to reduce the risk of falling at home

Anyone can have a fall and hurt themselves. Well I found out the hard way that I can do something silly and end up hitting the floor hard so that I had to visit the fracture clinic.

These ideas have been split into four categories.

1 general advice for everyone
2 advice to keep babies and small children safe
3 advice on using ladders and stepladders safely
4 things to think about for those with special needs

1 general advice for everyone

• Avoid using floor coverings with edges that can be tripped over. Fitted carpet is less of a trip hazard than a wooden floor with rugs on it. This also means watching to make sure that no area gets worn and creates another edge.
  
• Get organised so that there is no need to have any things lying around where people are going to walk. This includes cables and flexes as well as those general things we put down without thinking.
  
• Make sure that everywhere you go is well lit. This could be done by having lights that come at dusk and go off at dawn or are switched on using sound or movement sensors.
• Take great care with wet floors whether they have just been washed or are wet due to getting out of the bath or shower. Rubber backed rugs help soak up the water in the bathroom but also do not slip very easily.
  
• Use a non slip mat in the bath or shower.
• Take care with pets as they move and are not always easy to see.
• Take when cleaning the stairs as wires or pipes could trip you up. It is safer to use a handheld cordless vacuum or a dustpan and brush.
• Look after yourself properly. For example if you are light headed from not eating then you are more likely to fall and hurt yourself.
• Think carefully where things are stored. If you use them regularly put them somewhere that is easy to reach.
• Mop up spills immediately.

2 advice to keep babies and small children safe

The best way of avoiding such accidents is never to take your eyes off your child but which one of us is superhuman enough to be able to do that. The sort of accident that may happens varies with the age of the child.

Babies may roll off furniture like beds, changing tables or sofas. The most dangerous time is when they have just become capable of doing so and the adult responsible for them is not aware of it.

Harnesses are a useful way of restraining a child in a high chair, pram carrycot. The best ones are secured in five places.

Bouncing cradles or car seats left on tables can fall to the floor.

Children learning to walk easy fall over things left lying around like toys or down steps. Once they get more mobile they can fall out of windows, off balconies or down stairs and steps. They can also fall while climbing on furniture, fences, trees, or play equipment.

You can make your home safer by

• Fitting safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs and making sure they are left closed. The best safety gates do not create a trip hazard in the middle at the base. A side opening gate does not create such a trip hazard
• Making sure stairs do not have gaps that a 4 inch diameter ball can be passed through. Any wider gaps should be covered with safety netting or boards.
• Checking the catches on the windows. They need to be resistant to children so that it is difficult for them to open them. If windows are left open make sure that they cannot be opened more than 4 inches.
• Fitting safety glass on lower windows or adding safety film to any windows a small child may reach or run into.
• Moving furniture plants etc. from windows or balconies so making it harder for children to climb up into dangerous places.
• Fitting corner protectors to furniture will protect children if they fall against sharp corners.
• Encouraging them to play on equipment with impact absorbing surfaces so they will come to less harm so they can still play but stay safe.
• Teaching children (and others if necessary) that certain activities are dangerous.

The Child Accident Prevention trust (CAPT) offer a series of advice sheets including one on babywalkers.

Childsafety co.uk has a compilation of kitchen safety advice that includes ideas to help avoid children from falling.

3 advice on using ladders and stepladders safely

Most accidents using ladders are caused by human error rather than problems with the ladders themselves therefore are avoidable. There are some basic points to remember.

• Do not use ladders that are not properly secured.
• Do not over stretch whilst up a ladder.
• Do not ladders which are in poor condition.
• Use the right equipment for the job. A sturdy set of steps with a handrail is safer than standing on a chair.

The DTI have produced two safety booklets called The Step Ladders Users Guide and one called The Ladder User's Handbook. These give advice on how to position and secure ladders and step ladders. They are downloadable in pdf format from this page. This link will take you to a page where you can download pdf versions of booklets on various aspects of home safety that have been published by the Department of Trade and Industry.

4 things to think about for those with special needs

• Wear well fitting shoes (or slippers) and sensible clothes.
• Make sure there are plenty of places to sit down if necessary.
• Make sure there are adequate handrails for all steps and stairs even if just 2 or 3 steps. Round or oval handrails are easier to grip than square cut ones. It is often useful to have handrails on both sides.
  
• Some people cannot see the edges of stairs and steps very easily so add a contrasting strip at the edge to make it more obvious. This could be white paint for outside steps or reflective tape for stairs or steps inside the house. If you use tape make sure it stays stuck and does not create another trip hazard.
  
• Put glow in the dark stickers on light switches if people are not likely to find them easily.
• Add grab bars to the walls in the bathroom so that if unsteady while showering or using the toilet there is something to hold onto.
• Make sure there is somewhere to sit while having a shower. There are such things as shower stools that make it easier and safer to have a shower.
• Think carefully about the interior decoration especially on the stairs. Lampshades are better in plain pale colours that give out as much light as possible. Walls are better if they are plain and pale so they reflect more light. A lighter coloured plain carpet shows up the edges of the steps better than a dark patterned carpet.
• Take extra care when carrying things. Carry smaller loads that are easier and safer rather than risking carrying more things at once. If you cannot do it yourself ask for help.
• Take extra care if you use bifocal glasses. If might be safer to use separate glasses for reading and distance.
• If you wear glasses during the day to see where you are going make sure that if you get up at night you put them on again.
• Take your time the phone or the caller at the door can wait while you get down the stairs safely. Don't forget you can check the number of who called last. For example BT will do this if you ring 1471.
• If any medication you are on makes you dizzy make sure you let the doctor or nurse know as they are not very good at mindreading!
• If necessary get a second handrail fitted on stairs or steps so there is something easy to hold onto whether you are going up or down.
• Fitting a letterbox cage will mean you don't have to bend down so far to pick up the post.
• Remember that exercise makes you stronger and less likely to fall.
• Consider removing the castors from furniture as this will make it more stable to lean against or to hold onto to regain balance.
• Get up slowly and steadily from the chair or bed especially if you feel dizzy

I know some of these things might seem very simple and that you will have said more than once that you had already thought about that.

Most of these ideas involve more thought than expense. Remember though anyone can fall over and hurt themselves.

download this article as a pdf file

To read this file you will need a copy of Acrobat reader. If you have not got a copy you can download by clicking on the image below.