As we enter the time of year when seasons change, it is the perfect time to review tips to prevent trips and falls. With the seasons changing, unpredictable weather, including rain and snow, often comes. Our goal is to emphasize the importance of keeping our field staff and patients safe by preventing any risk of injury from a slip.

There are a few causes that lead to a slip and fall. One of the most common problems The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry reported that health care workers experience is wet or slippery floors. At CritiCare, our nurses and aides can experience this in schools or in the home. It is always important to be aware of where you are walking and where your patients are walking. Always keep an eye out for any wet floor signs in schools so you can exercise extra precaution in that area. If you come across an area with these signs, please be sure to walk carefully and make sure your student is walking slowly as well if there is no other way around it. If you notice any area that is wet and no signage is near it, it is a necessity to report it to the school or facility so they can address the hazard.

Other common causes reported by The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry is uneven walkways. To avoid any trips on an uneven sidewalk or driveway when reporting to patient or student, it is best to stay alert and be sure to be wearing proper footwear. Per company policy, field staff should always be wearing close toed shoes that have good traction. This will help prevent tripping on wet surfaces or uneven walkways. Shoes with straps including sandals are not appropriate footwear when reporting to any assignment given at CritiCare as they can lead to injury. 

Another environment to be alert on is stairs, especially on buses which many of our caregivers use with their patients. The greatest method to reduce the risk of falling is to make it a habit for you and your students to use the handrail when getting on and off the bus if they are ambulatory. 

The Department of Labor and Industry presented four steps to always remember during your workday to stay safe:

1. Find the problem!

a. Is the area wet, slippery or cluttered?

b. Are the stairs steep or in poor condition?

2. Check it out

a. Is the area in a high traffic spot?

b. Are nurses, aides and other staff wearing proper footwear?

3. Fix it

a. Report it to administration if you are in a school.

b. If you are visiting someone’s home, report it to the homeowner and your supervisor at CritiCare so they are aware. 

4. Look at it again!

a. Ensure the problem was repaired and it is properly identified.

In summary, wearing the appropriate footwear and being observant are the key take aways from this post. We want to make sure all of our caregivers and patients stay safe and avoid injury. If you have any questions or concerns about your working environment, please reach out to our office at 610-675-1111.

References:

“Department of Labor & Industry Home.” Department of Labor & Industry, 2013, www.dli.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx.