SLIP TRIP FALL

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SLIP TRIP FALL TRAINING PROGRAM
PREPARED BY Jay Crawford, MS, ARM, HCSS Loss
Control Risk Manager Loss Control Specialists,
L.L.C. A Division of HCIS Vaaler Insurance,
Inc. Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, ND
Minnetonka, MN October, 2005
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FALL PREVENTION
O ALL OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED A SLIP TRIP FALL
(STF). O WE FEEL EMBARRRASSMENT! WE ATTEMPT TO
SHRUG IT OFF AND IGNORE INCIDENT. O POTENTIALLY
FALLS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. O E.G. SPRAINS,
STRAINS, FRACTURES, TORN LIGIMENTS ETC. O GOOD
NEWS! BY DETERMINING THE CAUSE, WE CAN WORK
TOWARD PREVENTING SLIPS, TRIPS, FALLS. O ALL
SLIP TRIP FALL INCIDENTS ARE PREVENTABLE!!!!!
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WHY IS PREVENTION OF SLIPS, TRIPS, FALLS SO
IMPORTANT?

• ? 2nd LEADING CAUSE OF INJURY IN HEALTH CARE
  FACILITIES.
• A MAJOR HEALTH CARE WC INSURANCE CO. HAS
  EXPERIENCED OVER 23,000 STF INJURIES IN A 2 YEAR
  PERIOD (1999-2001).
• AND FROM 1996-2002 LOST OVER 13.6 MILLION TO
  STF.
• BLS DATA SHOWS 78 OF STF ARE FALLS ON THE SAME
  LEVEL.

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OBJECTIVES

• Understand How Fall Accidents Happen.
• Identify Trouble Areas.
• Eliminate or Minimize Hazards of Falling.

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HOW DO FALLS HAPPEN? SLIPS OCCUR WHERE THERE IS
TOO LITTLE FRICTION/TRACTION BETWEEN THE FOOTWEAR
WALKING SURFACE. COMMON CAUSES ARE

• ? Wet Surfaces
• ? Oily Surfaces
• Weather Hazards (Snow, Ice, etc.)
• Loose unanchored rugs or mats
• Flooring/Walking Surfaces with uneven traction in
  all areas

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• Wet, Slippery Floors Cause Slips and Falls
• Its Important
• ? Recognize the cause(s) and address these areas.
• Spills must be cleaned up immediately.
• It doesnt matter who caused the spill, the first
  person observing the Spill should clean it up or
  Mark the spill (with slippery wet floor or
  equivalent sign) until it has been cleaned up.
  Dont wait for maintenance to clean up the spill.
• It doesnt matter where the spill is located, the
  spill is a fall hazard.

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• Entrance areas can become very slippery due to
  ice, snow, rain.
• Its Important To
• ? Mark these areas .
• Keep as dry as possible.
• Maintenance must rigorously keep snow and ice
  shoveled and removed away from all entrance
  areas, inside and out, at all times.
• Employees instructed to wipe their feet and avoid
  tracking water into the rest of the building.
• Provide mats to wipe feet on and help remove
  snow, excess water and ice from feet of people
  entering building .

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• Areas that are being Cleaned, Mopped and Waxed
• Its Important To
• Clearly Mark and Identify these areas to all
  staff, residents/patients, and visitors
• Staff and Residents/Patients should be instructed
  to avoid these areas if possible .
• If its impossible to not walk on the wet area,
  Staff and Residents/Patients should be instructed
  to walk with extreme caution and portable
  slippery, wet floor or equivalent signs marking
  these areas should be used at all times.

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HOW DO FALLS HAPPEN? Trips occur when the foot
collides with an object causing one to loose
balance and fall. Common causes of trips are

• ? Obstructed Views
• ? Poor Lighting
• Clutter in Walkway
• Wrinkled Carpeting
• Uncovered cables, wires, cords etc.
• Bottom Drawers not being closed
• Uneven walking surfaces

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HOW DO FALLS HAPPEN? Tripping on stairs can cause
serious injury. Stairways must have

• ? Appropriate Lighting
• ? The stair surface in good repair
• The Staff instructed to use one handrail when
  ascending or descending stairs
• The carrying of boxes or other items that block
  your vision be prohibited and instructed that
  this is a hazard and could lead to a serious fall
  and subsequent injury
• The prohibition of storing boxes and other
  materials on the stairway.

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OTHER MEASURES THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO PREVENT TRIPS
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• Keep Items organized
• Keep everything in its place, not on
  floors, aisles or stairs
• Keep all drawers closed
• Dont leave cords, cables or other tripping
  hazards on floors
• Repair or report loose or missing floor tiles,
  turned up rug edges, etc.
• Dispose of trash promptly

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HOW DO WE PREVENT FALLS DUE TO SLIPS
TRIPS! Slips Trips result from unintended or
unexpected change in contact between feet and
ground or walking surface. In order to prevent
falls, the following needs to be addressed
? Housekeeping ? Quality of Walking Surfaces
(Flooring) ? Selection of Proper Footwear (Shoes)
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Housekeeping Good Housekeeping is the first and
most important level of preventing falls due to
slips and trips. Everybody is responsible for
good housekeeping, not just the Housekeeping
Department. Good Housekeeping includes

• Cleaning all spills immediately
• Marking all spills and wet areas
• Mopping or sweeping debris from floor
• Removing obstacles from walkways and always keep
  them free of clutter
• Securing mats, rugs and carpets that do not lay
  flat
• Covering cables/cords that cross walkways
• Keeping working areas Walkways well lit

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SELECTION OF PROPER FOOTWEAR

• O PROPER FOOTWEAR MUST BE ADDRESSED IN HC
  FACILITY POLICY.
• MUST BE STRICTLY ENFORCED BY MANAGEMENT
• THE FOLLOWING IS RECOMMENDED
• It is recommended to not allow high heels even
  for office positions
• No open toe or open heal shoes (including clogs)
• All shoes should have rubber soles
• All shoes should be in good repair
• Slip resistant shoes could be an effective tool
  in prevention of STF, especially in departments
  that have higher risk of slips e.g. dietary,
  laundry, housekeeping, Bathing by nurses cnas

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Safe Operating Procedures