How to Prevent Accidents in Bathroom

coolblues · Nov 15, 2012

Every year many people suffer from bathroom accidents. It can be a minor fall or can prove to be quite fatal. Bathroom is one of the most often used places at home. It is therefore, essential to keep the bathroom safe, especially for the elderly and children. It can result in head and other grave injuries. Here are few tips on how to prevent such accidental falls in the bathroom.

The area of the shower or bath is the most slippery. This one of the common places where people who can slip and fall. Consider putting padding or a rubber mat which can provide enough grip for the feet that prevents your family from slipping. You may also put a bath rug next to the shower that can let people wipe the feet. If you are building a new home, consider using textured tiles for the bathroom, which can be of great benefit.

Ensure that most attachments such as towel, toiletry racks are secured strongly on the wall. It should be firm enough to provide enough support for people to hold in case they use it as a support to prevent a fall.

Water and Electricity are not great pals. Keep electrical gadgets and appliances away from the sink, bathtub or shower. Never keep anything plugged in, since there is always a danger of water coming in contact with electricity. Make sure the outlets in the bathroom are grounded which will prevent an electrical shock.

Do not keep sharp edged furniture in the bathroom. In case of a fall, you do not want people to get hurt further by falling on such furniture.

Lock up the medicinal cabinet in the bathroom, if you have any. Keep shampoos, scissors and such items out of reach of children and always supervise when they are in the bathroom.

You can also consider attaching handles or grab bars on the walls, which can prevent slippery accidents in the bathroom. This is useful especially for seniors at home.

Look for the growth of mold on the bathroom walls, around the sink and the toilet, where the presence of water is inevitable. Clean the bathroom regularly and always keep the room dry and ventilated.

Do not leave soap residue or scum on the floor, which can make the floor slippery. Scrub them well with a brush followed by cleaning with water.

Let the bathroom door be left open in case seniors or children have a fall and they need to call out for help.

Exhaust fan is one of the essentials in a bathroom. It prevents the buildup of moisture and lets circulation of air.

What other measures do you think can prevent bathroom accidents?

mimur9 · Nov 17, 2012

[JUSTIFY]Good one. Prevention is always better than cure.

Use squeegees after every use like bath / wash to dry the floor surface

Keep the windows open after use to give way for ventilation

After oil bath, remember to wash the floor using soap solution and finally with good water to avoid slippery surface

Clogged drains need to be checked and you get a powder in the market viz., drainex etc which can be put in the drains for sometime and flush with water. this will remove the grease and blocks in the drains thus allowing free flow of waste water into the drain. clogged drain will slow down water flow into it thus letting the soap sediments deposit on the floor which may make the surface slippery

[/JUSTIFY]

rkgurbani · Jan 29, 2013

Good article.

A lot of people in my family have had bathroom accidents. My DH's aunt is still recovering from a hip surgery as her bone had three cracks. Since then, they have got a small railing on the wall fixed for support as they are elderly in age.

We have to make sure the bathroom floors are dry and not slippery. Especially in families with senior citizens one has to be extra cautious.

Another point to be kept in mind is proper lighting in the bathroom as darkness can make the bathroom a more danger place.