While hospitals serve a vital role when people become seriously ill, they can also be a hazardous place where people can become seriously injured in a slip and fall accident. Hospital staff, visitors, and patients are all at risk. For example, a report in 2010 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the average rate of hospital workers missing work due to injuries in slip and fall accidents that did not involve heights was 90 percent greater than all other industries combined.
Slip and fall accidents were the second leading cause of injuries requiring these employees to take time off work. Sadly, hospital slip and fall accidents remain a danger for anyone using these facilities.
Why Do Hospital Slip and Fall Accidents Happen?
Hospitals are filled with many workers, visitors, and patients on a daily basis. In addition, in good hospitals, cleaning is being done constantly to ensure the facilities are clean, sterile, and germ-free. While the intentions of a hospital may be to provide a safe environment, sometimes the opposite can be the result. Common hazards that cause victims to suffer slip and fall accidents include:
Slick floors.
In an effort to maintain a clean environment, hospital floors must be cleaned and waxed constantly. This can cause a serious hazard when water – impossible to completely dry when a floor is washed – or floor wax creates a slippery surface.
Liquid spills.
This can include water and soap from the many dispensers throughout the hospital, grease, food and drinks, which are often carried up to patient rooms, and other fluids. Hospitals are often short staffed, making it less likely that spills will promptly be cleaned up or warning signs put out near the hazard.
Uneven flooring.
When flooring is damaged, ripped, buckled, cracked, or uneven, it can create a slip and fall hazard. Virtually anywhere in a hospital – entrances, hallways, patient rooms, and operating rooms are a few – can be a danger to guests, patients, and staff.
Cracked pavement.
When pavement is cracked, uneven, or has holes, it can become a hazard for anyone coming and going into the hospital – especially treacherous for people with walking difficulties and who use canes, wheelchairs, and walkers.
Inadequate lighting.
Whenever the lighting is poor, a person simply cannot see a danger like water on the floor or a torn carpet.
Electrical wires and tubing.
The medical equipment used in hospitals requires electrical wires, cords, and tubing for their use. This can cause an unintended tripping hazard when people who are in a hurry or unaware of the danger become entangled with them.
Stairs and handrails.
Falls from stairs can cause tragic injuries when the stairs and handrails are poorly constructed or not maintained.
Have You Been Injured In A Henderson Slip and Fall Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall you need to speak with an experienced slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free consultation with our slip and fall attorneys.
