Falls at home present biggest safety issue

A recent survey released by the council shows that 80 percent of families don’t consider falls a top safety concern.

The State of Home Safety in America report shows that on average, 51 million Americans are injured each year from falls in and around the home.

Children under 5 and adults older than 65 are at greatest risk of fall-related injuries in the home.

However, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries for all age groups except ages 15 to 24.

The most recent survey polled 1,000 parents about top safety concerns and common safety practices. Nearly 85 percent of survey participants indicated that they do not have grab bars in every bathroom, and half of the families do not secure rugs in the home with non-slip surfacing.

Taking steps to reduce fall-related dangers will help protect the entire family. The Home Safety Council urges all families to conduct a home safety walk-through to find and fix potential falling hazards at home.

Precautions

There are several hazards that can lead to falls in the home. The Home Safety Council has prepared a list of precautions and preventive measures.

• All stairs and steps should be protected with a secure banister or handrail on each side that extends the full length of the stairs.

Make sure stairwells have a bright light at the top and bottom of the stairs.

• Make sure all porches, hallways and stairwells are well lit. Use the maximum safe wattage in light fixtures. Maximum wattage is typically posted inside light fixtures.

• Use nightlights to help light hallways, stairwells and bathrooms during the night.

• Keep stairs, steps, landings and all floors clear. Reduce clutter and safely tuck away telephone and electrical cords.

• When very young children are present, use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs.

• Use a nonslip mat or install adhesive safety strips or decals in bathtubs and showers.

If you use a bath mat on the floor, choose one that has a non-skid bottom.

• Install grab bars in bath and shower stalls.

Do not use towel racks or wall-mounted soap dishes as grab bars; they can easily come loose, causing a fall.

• If you use throw rugs in your home, place them over a rug-liner or choose rugs with nonskid backs to reduce your chance of slipping.

• Know that window screens are not strong enough to protect a child from falling out. Install window guards on upper floors, making sure they’re designed to open quickly from the inside in case of fire.

• On a playground, cover areas under and around play equipment with soft materials such as hardwood chips, mulch, shredded rubber, pea gravel and sand. Materials should be 9 to 12 inches deep and extend 6 feet from all sides of play equipment.

• When climbing on a ladder is necessary, always stand at or below the highest safe standing level.

For a stepladder, the safe standing level is the second rung from the top, and for an extension ladder, it’s the fourth rung from the top.

[[In-content Ad]]