Slips, Trips and Falls: Healthcare

Health care environments create the perfect conditions for slips, trips and falls. Some are minor; others can lead to serious injuries, but the most important fact is most slips, trips and falls are preventable. This online training course examines causes, prevention, the "see something, do something about it" rule and how to handle slips, trips and falls when they occur.

Instruction is provided in four lessons. First, the differences between slips, trips and falls including causes are examined. Once the learner demonstrates an understanding of causes; awareness and prevention is explained in relation to each accident type. The third lesson is all about awareness and actions; once an issue is identified it is time to take action to correct it. The last instructional lesson demonstrates how to handle accidents when they do occur.

Employees able to identify potential slip, trip and falls hazards help prevent injuries and remedy hazards before they become a problem.

Health care workers

• Causes
  • Substances that create hazards
  • How slips happen
  • How trips happen
  • Causes of slips, trips and falls
• Awareness and Prevention
  • Awareness
  • Prevention: Parking lots and sidewalks
  • Prevention: Stairways
  • Prevention: Inside the building
  • Prevention: Bad weather
• Awareness and Action
  • The See Something, Do Something rule
  • Actions to remove hazards
• If an Accident Occurs
  • Overall plan to follow
  • Initial steps to take
  • Blocking off the area
  • Management involvement

• Recognize the differences between slips, trips and falls.
  • Identify the correct definition of a slip.
  • Identify the correct definition of a trip.
  • Distinguish differences between the causes of slips and trips.
  • Agree that slip and fall accidents are preventable.
• Recognize slip, trip and fall hazards.
  • Identify hazards in areas outside your company's facility that can result in slips, trips and falls.
  • Identify hazardous areas within your company's facility that can result in slips, trips and falls.
  • Select indoor areas that present slip, trip and fall hazards.
• Use preventive measures to avoid slips, trips and falls.
  • Choose the best way to prevent slips from oil or grease.
  • Identify ways to prevent slips, trips and falls from building entrances.
  • Agree to never use stairwells for storage.
• Take appropriate action to prevent slips, trips and falls.
  • Agree that if you see something; do something about it.
  • Identify the definition of the see something, do something about it rule.
  • Choose the best ways to prevent a tripping hazard.
• Take appropriate action if a slip, trip or fall accident occurs.
  • Identify the proper actions to take in the event of an accident.
  • Recognize the importance of blocking off the area.
  • Agree to inform management regarding any slip or fall incident.