Did you know that most accidents occur in the home?
One of those reasons is Laminate flooring.
Laminate versus Carpet
My partner Sian slipped on her laminate flooring because her shoes were wet.
So off we went to A&E.
This slip resulted in her breaking a bone in her ankle !!
It’s not too bad, she’s not in a plaster cast, just a light weight strap.
However if you are thinking of replacing your carpet for a laminate floor…. just be aware… carpets are safer for a number of reasons!
Scientifically slip injuries are caused by the interface between your shoe and the surface being walked on. The more friction there is between a shoe and the floor, the safer the step. You can imagine how little friction there is between a shoe and a wet laminate floor.
Accidents involving slips and subsequent falls are sometimes known as ‘slip fall accidents’ or ‘slip and fall accidents’. And these are not all elderly people slipping on winter ice.
Here are some facts from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents:
https://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/general/facts-and-figures/
– More accidents happen at home than anywhere else
– Every year there are approximately 6,000 deaths as the result of a home accident
– Falls are the most common accidents, which can cause serious injury at any time of life. The risk increases with age.
– More women than men over the age of 65 die as the result of an accident in the home
– More accidents happen in the lounge/living room than anywhere else in the home
That last statistic was most surprising to me, I would have expected most accidents to happen in the kitchen or on the stairs. But we can’t argue with the facts!
And speaking of facts – Each year in the UK there are some 3,163,000 home accidents involving males and 2,548,000 accidents involving females of all ages.
The 65 and over age group have a lower rate of accidents than younger people, but
their injuries sustained tend to be more serious. More older women are involved in
home accidents than older men, partly due to the larger proportion of women in the
older population.
– Men aged 65–74 are involved in 89,000 home accidents a year
– Women aged 65–74 are involved in 157,000 home accidents a year.
This trend increases among older age groups.
– Men aged 75 and over are involved in 102,000 home accidents a year.
– Women aged 75 and over are involved in 303,000 home accidents a year.
(Source Health Promotion England).