Slips and Falls in Hospitals

When you think of hospitals, you likely think of a place where sick or injured people go to get better. You don’t typically think of hospitals as a place where accidents are likely to happen, but they are. Slip and fall accidents are especially common and they happen more often than you may think due to environmental factors.

Hospitals are busy places. On any given day, they are filled with not only employers and patients, but also relatives and visitors. Hospitals and medical facilities may be busy, but they still have to make sure the facility is a safe environment. This means ensuring it is sterile and germ-free while maintaining general cleanliness.

Learn more about slips and falls in hospitals, how they are caused, and what you can do to avoid them.

What Causes Slip and Fall Accidents?

Slips and falls in hospitals are often caused by the following:

• Slippery floor. Hospital floors need to be sanitized and waxed on a regular basis. This can lead to wet or waxed floors that can produce slippery surfaces. Water and other spilled liquids on the floor can also cause people to slip and fall.
• Unsafe carpets. Mats or rugs that are not appropriately fastened on the floor can be a hazard to people passing in the area. A person can fall or trip on the carpet. People with wheelchairs or walkers can get stuck in the carpeting as well.
• Dimly lit areas. Patient rooms and hallways should be well-lit so that patients and visitors can see where they are going. However, a patient room may have poor lighting and that can lead to a slip and fall accident.
• Broken pavement. People entering and exiting the hospital can get injured when there are holes, cracks, or uneven pavement in parking lots and walkways. This situation is hazardous for those who use walkers, wheelchairs, and canes.

Staying Safe

Hospital employees can do their part to ensure patients and visitors are safe:

• Remove clutter. Clear walkways, stairs, and lobbies of anything that might be a tripping hazard, such as wires, cords, empty boxes, and clutter.
• Use appropriate signage. If floors have been freshly waxed or there is a spill, be sure to use “Wet Floor” signs to let others know to watch out.
• Fix carpeting. Repair any worn carpeting. Make sure that floor mats lay flat rather than wrinkled or bunched.
• Install handrails. These can be helpful when people have to walk up and down steps.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today

You may not expect to slip and fall while in a hospital, but patients, visitors, and workers all experience them at high rates. Make sure you understand your next steps.

A Tampa slip & fall attorney from Moore Law can help you understand your legal options. Premises liability law often applies in these cases. To schedule a free consultation with our office, call 813-510-5400 or fill out the online form.

Source:

hhmglobal.com/knowledge-bank/news/what-happens-if-you-slip-and-fall-in-a-hospital