How to Prevent Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Your Home

Not all slip-and-fall accidents occur in the workplace. Each year, millions of  U.S. adults inure themselves by slipping and falling in their home. While many of these injuries are minor, consisting of bruising or lacerations, others are more severe and debilitating. As a homeowner, however, you can prevent slip-and-fall accidents in your home by following a few simple steps.

Use Handrails When Climbing Stairs

If your home has stairs, you should use the handrails when climbing them. In the United States, building codes typically require residential homes to have handrails with stairs. Nonetheless, many people rarely or ever use the handrails. If you don't hold onto the handrails when ascending or descending stairs, though, you may slip and fall.

Run Cords Along Walls

Electrical cords pose a major safety hazard if they are run across the middle of a room. Whether it's your living room, bedroom or any other part of your home, you should run electrical cords along the walls. Doing so will prevent the electrical cords from cluttering your home. More importantly, it will lower your risk of slip-and-fall accidents. With the electrical cords run along the walls, neither you nor anyone else in your home will trip over them.

Keep the Floors Clean

Maintaining clean floors is essential to protecting against slip-and-fall accidents in the home. From shoes and kid's toys to dirty clothes and boxes, common items such as this can pose a slip-and-fall hazard if left unchecked. If you don't see one of these items on the floor, you may trip on it. The bottom line is that you need to keep your floors clean to protect against slip-and-fall accidents in your home.

Increase Lighting

You might be surprised to learn that upgrading your home's lighting can lower your risk of slip-and-fall accidents. With poor lighting, you may not see a hazard on the floor. And if you don't see a hazard, it may cause you to fall. For a safe living environment, consider installing new, higher-powered lighting in your home.

Beware of Spilled Liquids

Spilled liquids can pose a slip-and-fall hazard in the home. Granted, if your home has carpeted floors, spilled liquids shouldn't be a concern. For laminate, hardwood, tile and other smooth flooring surfaces, on the other hand, it can create a slippery surface that leaves you and your family members susceptible to injury. If you accidentally spill a liquid on a smooth flooring surface, you should immediately clean it with paper towels or a washcloth.