Falls within the home are one of the most common ways people get injured in Cornwall.
Here are some ways to reduce the chance of a fall.
Stairs and steps
- Steps should be the same size
- There should be a handrail on both side of the stairs. If the stairs are narrow, one handrail is okay
- If there is no wall at one side of the stairs, there should be a barrier (called a balustrade) to stop people falling off the side
- The gaps in the barrier should not be big enough for a child to fit through, nor should they be climbable
- Handrails should be easy to hold and go all the way along the stairs
- Stairs should have lights at the top and bottom, or in the middle, so you can see where you're going
- There should be enough space above your head when using the stairs
Changes in height
- If there is a drop of more than 30cm (length of a school ruler), there should be a barrier to stop people falling
- Barriers should be at least 110cm high and not easy for children to climb
- Windows upstairs that are low down should have a safety catch fitted. This is to stop children falling out of the window when it is open. The safety catch must be able to be opened by an adult in an emergency
Bathrooms
- Baths and showers should have slip resistant surfaces
- Handles or grab rails are recommended
- Baths and showers should be stable and well fitted
Floors and paths
- Floors and paths should be level and unbroken
- If a path is steep, think about adding a handrail
- Paths and yards should have good drainage, to stop them getting slippery
- Decking and paths should be cleaned regularly to stop them getting slippery
- Make sure your floor covering (carpet or lino) is properly stuck down