What are the common hazards that cause falls on stairs?
Common Stair Hazards That Cause Falls 1 Objects left on the stairway. Storing items on the stairs is inappropriate and dangerous. ... 2 Missing or damaged handrails. Handrails provide added stability and safety, especially for children and the elderly. ... 3 Miscellaneous stairway hazards. ...
Why do stairs fall down?
Dim lighting because of burnt-out or missing lightbulbs, or low-wattage lights, often cause staircase falls. In the darkness, you also can’t see other hazards or broken steps. Objects left on the stairway. Storing items on the stairs is inappropriate and dangerous.
What are the dangers of stair handrails?
Handrailings that are not-graspable, too low, too high, or that are not securely fastened are in some respects more dangerous than no handrailing at all, since the stair user thinks there she can grasp the handrail to prevent a fall.
Are stairs safe to use?
Because stairs are a common feature in many homes and buildings, people take them for granted. However, they aren’t always safe to use, and the unwary person may fall and injure himself.
How common are staircase deaths?
Staircase and stairway accidents constitute the second leading cause of accidental injury, second only to motor vehicle accidents. Each year, there are 12,000 stairway accident deaths.
Are straight stairs dangerous?
Falls can be Serious: A straight staircase often consists of more treads than a staircase with landings. As a result, a fall from the top of the stairs could result in serious injuries. Uncomfortable for older people: The lack of a landing can be tiresome for older people who have to climb all the stairs at once.
What percentage of accidents happen on stairs?
79%Okay, so, 79% of stair accidents happen on the stairs, and 21% happen on the ceiling. HOW DO YOU HAVE A STAIR ACCIDENT WHEN YOU'RE NOT ON THE STAIRS? Stairs fall on you. Duh.
Is it more dangerous to go up or down stairs?
Descending stairs, statistically, poses more of a risk than ascending stairs. You're more likely to fall down stairs than up them, and you're more likely to get injured on a fall down than a fall up, although it's important to be careful in both directions.
Can stairs collapse?
If not properly constructed or maintained, parts of staircases can separate and eventually cave in. A person can be fatally injured if a staircase or step collapses underneath them. A stair collapse can result from the negligence of the landlord or property owner, in which case they may be liable for your injuries.
How much weight can a staircase hold?
Reply: 29 CFR 1910.24(c) states; "Fixed stairways shall be designed and constructed to carry a load of five times the normal live load anticipated but never of less strength than to carry safely a moving concentrated load of 1,000 pounds" [emphasis added].
What is the number one cause of stair accidents?
Torn or frayed carpet or cracked flooring on stairs can cause a person to trip and fall down the stairs. This is one of the most common causes of these accidents. Broken or missing steps. When steps are missing, broken, or loose, it can increase the likelihood that people will lose their balance and fall.
What to do when you fall from stairs?
After a fall down the stairs, it's important to take time to recover. For most minor injuries, you just need to rest to allow damaged joints, bones or muscles to mend. Alternating ice packs with heat can help alleviate pain and bruising.
What is the safest way to walk down stairs?
7:0712:21What's the proper way to walk down stairs? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThrough every joint right you're sending shock into the ankle joint each way and probably into theMoreThrough every joint right you're sending shock into the ankle joint each way and probably into the hip joint as well. So you come down you want to hit forefoot. And be able to control that slowly.
Is Climbing stairs dangerous?
According to a Health Canada report, about 13% of fall-related injuries to seniors over 65 years old occur when ascending or descending stairs. Falling on stairs can also be fatal. Falls on stairs are the second most common cause of accidental death in the US after car accidents.
What is a straight staircase?
Straight stairs are stairs without any changes in direction. They are certainly one of the most common types of stairs found in both residential and commercial properties.
How can accidents be prevented on stairs?
Tips to prevent falling down the stairsUse a handrail. ... Clear stairs of any objects. ... Take your time. ... Install non-slip stair treads or nosing. ... Ensure stairs are designed safely and avoid steep stairs and ladders. ... Consult OSHA stair safety regulations.
How do I make my steep stairs safer?
0:112:50A Few Affordable Things You Can Do To Make Steep Stairs Safer, When ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst thing on the list would be to use different colors for the treads. And risers. Especially forMoreFirst thing on the list would be to use different colors for the treads. And risers. Especially for people who have a difficult time separating the two when they're made out of the same materials.
Who is most at risk of falling on stairs?
Unsurprisingly, the people most at risk from a serious fall on the stairs are the elderly and young children. However, secondary groups like pregnant women, the immuno-suppressed, those with poor vision or balance, and hemophiliacs need to take special caution around stairs as well.
How many people die from stairs every year?
Don't be fooled by their commonplace appearance; stairs are a serious danger that cause over a thousand deaths every year. Obviously, the danger that stairs pose is that of falling. However, the damage can vary widely based on any of a number of factors, from what direction you're heading, to how high up you were at the time of the fall..
How to reduce the likelihood of someone going up stairs?
Light stairs well - by lighting stairs well , you reduce the likelihood that someone will trip because they could not see properly. Keep nightlights on near steps for nighttime use.
Can you take stairs to reduce risk of falling?
There are many small risk reducing steps you can take in your own home and sometimes on other stairs that can reduce your risk of a fall.
How does a stairlift work?
A more affordable solution is a stairlift that safely transports the older person up and down the stairs while folding out of the way when not in use. Additionally, stairlifts mount to the stairs, not the walls so they can be installed in hours and do not require structural changes to the home.
Why do people fall when they are at home?
Scientists have linked a number of risk factors to falling, such as. Muscle weakness. Blood pressure that drops too much when you get up from lying down.
How did a senior couple die?
According to the Daily Mail, a senior couple died falling down stairs at their home in Failsworth, Greater Manchester. Apparently John Wood, 67, stumbled at the top of the stairs and Mary Murphy, 66, fell down the stairs in a desperate attempt to save her partner. As tragic and bizarre as this accident may seem, falls are a major concern according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Do falls happen at home?
According to the National Institute on Aging, most falls happen at home while a person is doing normal activities. Scientists have linked a number of risk factors to falling, such as
What are the risks of falling on stairs?
Common Stair Hazards That Cause Falls. Falls on stairways can result in broken bones, spinal cord injury, lacerations, soft tissue damage, traumatic brain injury, and other serious types of harm—not to mention the mental trauma from such an event. And they can be caused by:
What are the hazards of a stairway?
A loose or frayed rug or carpeting, missing or loose tiles, rotting wood, crumbling concrete, uneven steps, dozing pets, and myriad other unexpected conditions can all lead to stairway falls.
What happens if you lose balance on a staircase?
Unlike tripping on a level surface, losing your balance on a staircase often involves a violent tumble down a bumpy surface full of hard edges, where normal falling reflexes do little to minimize injury. Falls on steps and stairways often result in severe injury, and sometimes even death.
Why do stairs fall in the dark?
Poor lighting. Dim lighting because of burnt-out or missing lightbulbs, or low-wattage lights, often cause staircase falls. In the darkness, you also can’t see other hazards or broken steps.
How many deaths are caused by stairway falls?
Stairway accidents are the second leading cause of injury, with motor vehicle accidents being the leading cause. Stairway accidents result in 12,000 fatalities each year.
What are the benefits of handrails?
Missing or damaged handrails. Handrails provide added stability and safety, especially for children and the elderly. If there are no handrails, or if they are not sufficiently secured, they cannot help prevent falls.
What happens if you don't correct a stairway?
If a property owner or caretaker knew about an unsafe condition on a stairway, and failed to correct that condition or sufficiently warn visitors about it, he or she can be held liable for any injuries you incurred.
What happens if you walk down a set of stairs?
Walking down a set of stairs entered by having to open a door that swings out over the steps is likely to result in a fall.
Why are stairs slippery?
Stair tread surfaces of glass, tile, or painted wood surfaces are slippery, especially when wet, and more-so on outdoor steps that are not protected from rain, snow, ice, or algae growth. More information on slippery stair treads and landings due to moss, ice, water or algae is found.
Why are stair treads angled?
Angled or Curved stair treads are a particular trip hazard, especially because of the lack of uniformity and because the tread width at the inside of the curve can be too small for safe walking .
What is false step?
Definition & history of false-step stairs: The trip and fall hazard caused by stairs whose steps are uneven in height (rise) has been known probably for thousands of years as one discovers it promptly when using uneven- rise stairs without paying close attention to the step height.
Where is the red arrow on the stairs?
Photo: a combination of carpeted landing (orange arrow) and a raised wood lip forming a nice trip hazard (red arrow) at the top of a stairway in a retail shop upstairs floor in Genoa, Italy.
How tall is a weenie step?
Above we illustrate a weenie step, just about 1.25" tall with little visual clue that the walking surface changes height in a building in Akaroa, New Zealand - inspected in 2014. (Those are not the author's toes. )
What blocks are supported on the stone steps?
Be sure to notice that the stone steps are supported on wobbly, tipping and falling-over clay blocks.
Why are stairs so intimidating?
Other stairs are intimidating for more psychological reasons, such as the creaking noises made by the world's longest wooden stairway in Norway or the eerie atmosphere at "The Stairway to Hell ," part of an abandoned industrial complex in Japan.
Why do people follow 13 sets of stairs?
Travelers with nerves of steel -- and eager for bragging rights -- follow these 13 sets of stairs because of what they find at the end, whether a sacred Hindu temple or the top of a spectacular waterfall. There's nothing quite like the thrill of accomplishment that comes once you've taken that last step. Safely, that is.
How many feet of granite do you need to climb to get to the moon temple?
In Peru, for instance, travelers need to tackle about 600 feet of slippery granite rocks carved into the mountainside to reach the Moon Temple at Machu Picchu. And at Yosemite National Park, you can't take a selfie at the top of Half Dome without climbing a cable ladder up the rock face for more than 400 feet.
How do stairs affect memory?
Stairways can leave just as much of an impact on your memory as the places they lead you. Some are so eye-catching they look like they belong in an M.C. Escher painting, while other stairs are downright intimidating, especially when they stand between you and a site you flew halfway across the world to experience.
What are the Devil's Cauldron steps made of?
But consider the name—in English, the Devil's Cauldron—and the evil tricks the steep steps can play. They are made of smooth, oversize pebbles that provide little traction, and when you're looking down, they blend together, creating an optical illusion of a stone slide. They're also slippery from the constant mist from the falls and ...
How many steps are there in the water slide?
It takes guts just to reach the starting point of the world's tallest and fastest water slide, opened July 2014. To get to the top, you've got to climb the 264 steps that snake up the slide's tower in 25 turns.
Why were the steps so steep?
Guides claim the steps were made to be so steep to remind people that heaven was hard to reach —though you might make the same argument about Earth as you try not to tumble on the way down.