Slippery floor a death trap
Ex-prisons boss Patrick Mwenda recently succumbed to a blood clot as a result of an injury sustained when he fell in the bathroom.
Following his death, many people have come forward to narrate on social media platforms the horrific manner in which they lost their loved ones and those they knew in a similar manner. Going by the comments, many of such deaths go unreported, hence the obvious lack of awareness in the society.
Easy as it sounds, a bathroom accident can be more fatal than a road crash. Potential injuries range from broken arms and legs, an injured spinal cord, fractured skull, internal injuries and bleeding in vital organs. It is even worse for the older people.
Another danger is the high likelihood of underestimating the extent of damage, thereby neglecting First Aid and immediate medical attention.
Tragedies of slippery tiles are not confined to bathrooms but also balconies and swimming pool areas. Additionally, one could assume that these are townspeople problems; however, in the once-sleepy villages in the countryside, people have embraced modernity by building houses with tiled floors. This goes to highlight the need for a proactive and precautionary national dialogue on this safety issue.
The relevant bodies in the construction industry should adopt an aggressive slip risk assessment and prevention strategy. That includes having specific mandatory regulations, building codes and guidelines on the texture of bathroom tiles and ensuring implementation the legal parameters. The National Construction Authority (NCA) should inspect buildings before issuing occupational certifications.
Kenyans should proactively take precautions against this menace by, among others, building bathrooms with slightly rough-textured tiles or surface and properly rinsing and wiping soapy floors as well as placing non-slip mats in the bath area. Accidents should be reported to the relevant occupational safety and health authorities and documented to provide reliable statistics for planning and action. But some neglect of precautionary measures.
Let’s avoid bathroom falls and, hence, more deaths. BY DAILY NATION
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