According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, hospitals are one of the most hazardous places to work. Between lifting patients, the risk of needlesticks, slippery surfaces, and numerous other hazards, health care workers put themselves at risk every day. In addition, some feel as though it is their ethical duty to put their patients’ safety before their own. For these reasons and more, hospitals have exceeded the construction and manufacturing industries in work-related injuries.
In 2011, hospitals recorded over 58,000 cases of injuries or illnesses that caused employees to miss work. 48 percent of these cases were due to overexertion and bodily reaction, which includes lifting, bending, reaching, and overall patient handling. The other half of injuries were caused by exposure to substances, violence, contact with objects — and slips, trips, and falls accounted for a whopping 25 percent of employee injuries. This is not surprising when considering the slippery floors of hospitals.
Preventing Slips
Because of this, the CDC has implemented a Slip, Trip, and Fall Prevention policy that aims to cut down on these injuries. In the policy, the CDC acknowledges that injuries from slipping can severely impact the employee’s ability to do his or her job, and result in lost workdays, decreased productivity, and expensive worker compensation claims. Fortunately, these injuries are preventable. The CDC recommends that hospitals set up their own Slip, Trip, and Fall (STF) prevention program to keep employees safe and able to work. This includes identifying hazardous spots and causes of slippery floors (contaminants, poor drainage, etc.) and tripping hazards such as cords and medical tubing, and preventative measures to take to decrease slips.
Go the Extra Mile for Employee Safety
One of the preventative measures hospitals can take to ensure the safety of employees is to adopt a shoe cover system. Increased traction is a benefit of shoe booties because many shoe covers feature an anti-skid, slip-resistant pattern. The BootieButler® Shoe Cover System keeps employees safer by reducing the risk of slips and falls due to unkempt work environments. Above all, employee safety is what matters most. Safe employees will have a greater ability to care for patients, and BootieButler® can help. Visit our products page to view our anti-slip shoe booties and see what your options are for keeping your employees safe at work.
