Bathroom slips and falls are responsible for thousands of injuries in Australia every year. Apart from causing injuries, however, slips and falls may also lead to death.

1. Preventing Slips and
fall in the Bathroom

2. Bathroom slips and falls are responsible for thousands of injuries in Australia
every year. Apart from causing injuries, however, slips and falls may also
lead to death.
By the Numbers
Everyone is at risk of slipping and falling, but older adults and young kids are
usually at greater risk. They have a higher chance of tripping, falling and
injuring themselves because of a wet floor in the bathroom or kitchen.
In 2008-2009, the approximate number of hospitalised injuries because of
falls in seniors 65 and over was 78,600. A fall caused by stumbling, slipping
and tripping is the most common cause of injuries that require hospital care.
Almost 70 percent of hospitalised falls in 2008-2009 occurred at home or in a
senior care facility. The bathroom is one of the common places where falls
occur.
Approximately a third of the injury cases involved the thighs and hips. Most
of the elderly patients suffered hip fractures. Injuries to the head accounted
for one in five of reported injuries.
These accidents in the bathroom are avoidable, only if homeowners made
changes to reduce the possibility of slips and falls.

3. Reduce the Risk of Bathroom
Accidents
There is a higher chance of slipping,
falling and getting hurt when one
steps out of the bathtub or shower
as the water splashes onto the floor,
leaving it wet.
Installation of shower screens
reduces the amount of water
splashing onto the floor of the
bathroom. The placement of non-slip
mats also lowers the risk of falling
and slipping as one gets out of the
shower.
Seniors lack the balance and
coordination to avoid slipping and
falling as they get out of the bathtub
or shower. Installing grab bars is a
good option to give them a secure
handle as they step in and out.
Death caused by slipping and falling
may seem bizarre, but if
homeowners fail to realise its
possibility, the risk of it happening is
high. The application of these safety
measures reduces the probability of
a fatality due to a slip or fall.

4. Sources:
http://www.perthcityglass.com.au/shower-screens/
http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/falls
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Falls_prevention_fo
r_older_people?open