Falling (accident): Difference between revisions
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{{otheruses|Falling (disambiguation)}} |
{{otheruses|Falling (disambiguation)}} |
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[[File:Toddler running and falling.jpg|thumb|Falling is a normal experience for young children, but falling from a significant height or onto a hard surface can be dangerous.]] |
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'''Falling''' is a major cause of [[personal injury]], especially for the [[old age|elderly]]. [[Construction worker|Builder]]s, [[electrician]]s, [[miner]]s, and [[Painting|painter]]s represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The [[World Health Organization|WHO]] estimate (2002) that 392,000 people die in falls every year.{{Fact|date=September 2008}} |
'''Falling''' is a major cause of [[personal injury]], especially for the [[old age|elderly]]. [[Construction worker|Builder]]s, [[electrician]]s, [[miner]]s, and [[Painting|painter]]s represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The [[World Health Organization|WHO]] estimate (2002) that 392,000 people die in falls every year.{{Fact|date=September 2008}} |
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==Falls in the workplace== |
==Falls in the workplace== |
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[[Image:Construction workers not wearing fall protection equipment.jpg|thumb|right|At-risk workers without appropriate safety equipment]] |
[[Image:Construction workers not wearing fall protection equipment.jpg|thumb|right|At-risk workers without appropriate safety equipment]] |
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[[File:Prevent falling accidents - NARA - 535301.jpg|thumb|Workplace safety campaigns attempt to reduce injuries from falling.]] |
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Falls from elevation hazards are present at almost every jobsite, and many workers are exposed to these hazards daily. As such, falls are an important topic for [[occupational safety and health]] services. Any walking/working surface could be a potential fall hazard. An unprotected side or edge which is {{convert|6|ft}} or more above a lower level should be protected from falling by the use of a [[guard rail]] system, safety net system, or personal [[fall arrest]] system.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/falls/ |title=NIOSH Falls from Elevations |accessdate=2007-11-04|publisher=United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health}}</ref> These hazardous exposures exist in many forms, and can be as seemingly innocuous as changing a light bulb from a step ladder to something as high-risk as installing bolts on high steel at {{convert|200|ft}} in the air. Falls are the second leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S.<ref name=NIOSH_Falls> >{{cite press release |title=STRATEGIC PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FATAL FALLS ON THE JOB ARE RECOMMENDED BY NIOSH |publisher=National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health |date=2001-01-02 |url=http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/fatalfal.html |accessdate=2007-11-04}} </ref> In 2000, 717 workers died of injuries caused by falls from ladders, scaffolds, buildings, or other elevations.<ref name=NIOSH_Falls/> |
Falls from elevation hazards are present at almost every jobsite, and many workers are exposed to these hazards daily. As such, falls are an important topic for [[occupational safety and health]] services. Any walking/working surface could be a potential fall hazard. An unprotected side or edge which is {{convert|6|ft}} or more above a lower level should be protected from falling by the use of a [[guard rail]] system, safety net system, or personal [[fall arrest]] system.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/falls/ |title=NIOSH Falls from Elevations |accessdate=2007-11-04|publisher=United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health}}</ref> These hazardous exposures exist in many forms, and can be as seemingly innocuous as changing a light bulb from a step ladder to something as high-risk as installing bolts on high steel at {{convert|200|ft}} in the air. Falls are the second leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S.<ref name=NIOSH_Falls> >{{cite press release |title=STRATEGIC PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FATAL FALLS ON THE JOB ARE RECOMMENDED BY NIOSH |publisher=National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health |date=2001-01-02 |url=http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/fatalfal.html |accessdate=2007-11-04}} </ref> In 2000, 717 workers died of injuries caused by falls from ladders, scaffolds, buildings, or other elevations.<ref name=NIOSH_Falls/> |
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Revision as of 16:19, 30 November 2012
Falling is a major cause of personal injury, especially for the elderly. Builders, electricians, miners, and painters represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The WHO estimate (2002) that 392,000 people die in falls every year.[citation needed]
Falls in the workplace
Falls from elevation hazards are present at almost every jobsite, and many workers are exposed to these hazards daily. As such, falls are an important topic for occupational safety and health services. Any walking/working surface could be a potential fall hazard. An unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level should be protected from falling by the use of a guard rail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system.[1] These hazardous exposures exist in many forms, and can be as seemingly innocuous as changing a light bulb from a step ladder to something as high-risk as installing bolts on high steel at 200 feet (61 m) in the air. Falls are the second leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S.[2] In 2000, 717 workers died of injuries caused by falls from ladders, scaffolds, buildings, or other elevations.[2]
Companies must make sure that they follow the applicable safety legislation (e.g. the Occupational Safety and Health Act in the United States) to keep the work environment safe.
Falls from buildings on purpose
Falls from buildings are often accidental but can also be caused intentionally, such as by defenestration. Injuries caused by falls from buildings vary depending on the building's height and the age of the person. Falls from the second floor (American; first floor European) usually cause injuries, but are not fatal.
Height and severity
The severity of injury increases with the height of the fall, but also depends on body and surface features and the manner of body impacts on to the surface.[3] The chance of surviving increases if landing on the surface of high deformity, such as snow or water.[3]
Overall, the height at which 50% of children die from a fall is between four and five storey heights above the ground.[4]
Elderly
In elderly, even falls from standing position to flat ground may cause serious injuries. Stephen Lord at the University of New South Wales studied 80,000 elderly persons in Australia and found that the risk of falling increases for any who are taking multiple prescription medications and for all who are taking psychoactive drugs. This increased risk was demonstrated through the use of a variety of balance and reaction time tests. Inexplicably, the older men when matched with women of identical height, weight, and age, on average, performed measurably better in all of the balance and reaction time tests. [citation needed]
Epidemiology
See also
References
- ^ "NIOSH Falls from Elevations". United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
- ^ a b >"STRATEGIC PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FATAL FALLS ON THE JOB ARE RECOMMENDED BY NIOSH" (Press release). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 2001-01-02. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
- ^ a b Attention: This template ({{cite pmid}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by PMID 15307311, please use {{cite journal}} with
|pmid=15307311instead. - ^ Attention: This template ({{cite pmid}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by PMID 6620098, please use {{cite journal}} with
|pmid=6620098instead. - ^ "WHO Disease and injury country estimates". World Health Organization. 2009. Retrieved Nov. 11, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)
External links
- Falls Among Older Adults: Brochures and Posters (in English, Spanish, and Chinese) US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Costs of Falls Among Older Adults US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Hip Fractures Among Older Adults US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Falls in Nursing Homes US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CDC Fall Prevention Activities US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Preventing Falls: What Works―A CDC Compendium of Effective Community-based Interventions from Around the World US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Public Health Grand Rounds: Help Older Adults Live Better, Longer: Prevent Falls and Traumatic Brain Injuries US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CDC's Division of Unintentional Injury – Podcasts US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention