Slip, trip, and fall injuries among nursing care facility workers

Workplace Health Saf. 2013 Apr;61(4):147-52. doi: 10.1177/216507991306100402. Epub 2013 Mar 25.

Abstract

The objective of this research was to describe the slip, trip, and fall injury experience and trends in a population of nursing home workers, identify risk factors for slip, trip, and fall injuries, and develop prevention strategies for slip, trip, and fall hazards. Workers' compensation injury claims data and payroll data from 1996 through 2003 were obtained from six nursing homes and used to calculate injury incidence rates. Narrative information was used to describe details of slip, trip, and fall events. A total of 86 slip, trip, and fall-related workers' compensation claims were filed during the 8-year period. Slip, trip, and fall claim rates showed a nonsignificant increase during the 8-year period. Most slips, trips, and falls were attributed to hazards that can be mitigated (e.g., water on the floor or loose cords in a walkway). Nursing home workers experience more slip, trip, and fall-related injury claims than workers in other industries. Preventive programs should be implemented and evaluated in this industry.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls / prevention & control
  • Accidental Falls / statistics & numerical data*
  • Accidents, Occupational / prevention & control
  • Accidents, Occupational / statistics & numerical data*
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Midwestern United States / epidemiology
  • Nursing Homes / statistics & numerical data*
  • Nursing Staff / statistics & numerical data*
  • Poisson Distribution
  • Regression Analysis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Distribution
  • Workers' Compensation / statistics & numerical data