ABSTRACT
Health Care and Social Assistance (HCSA), with over 18 million workers, is one of the largest industry sectors in the United States and is rapidly growing (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). In 2013, HCSA workers, who include workers in hospitals and other patient care settings, incurred more nonfatal work-related injuries than workers in the construction and mining industries combined (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013a). Private employers in the HCSA industry reported that slips, trips, and falls (STFs) accounted for 24% (n = 39,630) of the total work-related injuries requiring at least 1 day away from work (Bureau of Labor
CONTENTS
29.1 Fall Injuries in the Health Care and Social Assistance Industry Sector ....................509 29.2 Principal Research into Work-Related STF Injury in Hospitals .................................. 510
29.2.1 Descriptive Analysis.............................................................................................. 510 29.2.1.1 Occupations ............................................................................................. 511 29.2.1.2 Body Part and Nature of Injury ............................................................ 512 29.2.1.3 Age Group, Length of Employment, and Gender .............................. 512 29.2.1.4 Circumstances of STFs ........................................................................... 513
29.2.2 Risk Factor Study ................................................................................................... 513 29.2.3 Friction Characteristics of Footwear and Flooring ........................................... 513 29.2.4 Identifying STF Hazards ...................................................................................... 514 29.2.5 Prevention Strategies ............................................................................................. 515
29.2.5.1 Create a Written Housekeeping Program ........................................... 515 29.2.5.2 Maintain Floors Clean and Dry ............................................................ 515 29.2.5.3 Prevent Pedestrian Access to Wet Floors ............................................. 516 29.2.5.4 Use Slip-Resistant Shoes ........................................................................ 517 29.2.5.5 Minimize Tripping Hazards ................................................................. 517 29.2.5.6 Safer Operating Rooms .......................................................................... 518 29.2.5.7 Facilitate Ice and Snow Removal .......................................................... 518 29.2.5.8 Ensure Adequate Lighting ..................................................................... 519 29.2.5.9 Increase Safety of Stairs and Handrails .............................................. 519
29.3 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 520 29.4 Disclaimer ........................................................................................................................... 520 References ..................................................................................................................................... 520
Statistics, 2013b). The incidence of STFs in hospitals was considerably higher than the STF incidence for the overall HCSA industry sector (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013c). The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013c) also reported that the incidence of lost-workday injuries from same-level STFs in hospitals was 32.9 per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, nearly 32% greater than the STF incidence for all other private industries combined (25 per 10,000 FTE). STF injuries resulted in nine HCSA industry worker deaths in 2013 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013d).
