Falls most common cause of accidental injury

Press, 1 June 1988, Page 7

Falls most common cause of accidental injury

PA Wellington Falls caused by slipping on floors and other surfaces are the most common cause of accidental injury. The Building Research Association in its newsletter, “Build,” says the Accident Compensation Corporation receives thousands of claims every year for injuries caused in this way, and the bill for compensation is about $9 million.

Accidents in the workplace account for about 40 per cent of these claims, while 60 per cent of the accidents occur in activities when not at work, the article says.

Nearly 25 per cent of the compensation payments are for accidents in the home.

The elderly or disabled make up a large proportion of fall accident victims, it says. A significant number of fall injuries caused by slipping occur in shopping complexes. “Many of these accidents occurred because inadequate attention had been given to the proper selection and care of flooring and footwear.

“Sometimes too much emphasis is given to aesthetic appearance or style, rather than to ensuring that the flooring or footwear is safe and practical.”

The Standards Association is devising a standard for slip-resistant flooring and footwear.

It has been largely funded by the Accident Compensation Corporation.

A Standards Association technical adviser, Mr Harry Beis, said people were generally not aware of the dangers of falling until it happened to them. But there were things people could do to make their homes safer as far as slipping was concerned. Bathrooms were a particularly slip-prone area, he said. Slip-resistant mats and handrails could make a lot of difference, but very few people had them.