Slips, Trips, and Falls
What are the Risk Factors?
- Wet floors in hallways, rooms, near sinks, and kitchen areas.
- Loose cords and cables from phones, clinical equipment and computers.
- Clutter or debris, particularly in patient or resident rooms and storage areas.
- Uneven surfaces, such as buckled carpeting and broken tile or pavement.
Injury Prevention Strategies for Slips, Trips and Falls Hazards
- Report and clean up spills immediately and use signage to indicate wet areas.
- Use beveled-edge or flat water-absorbent, slip-resistant mats where water, ice, soap or hand sanitizer might drip.
- Wear slip-resistant footwear.
- Bundle loose cords, tubes and cables and store them away from areas with foot traffic.
- Remove clutter.
- Report and repair damaged flooring and outdoor walking surfaces.
- Regularly inspect indoor and outdoor walkways and parking lots.
Resources and Training Guides
Slip, Trip and Fall Protection for Healthcare Workers https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-123/pdfs/2011-123.pdf
Slips, Trips and Falls: OSHA https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/slips/slips.html