If you live in a multistory home, going up and down the stairs will not be something you think twice about, but stairs are responsible for many of the accidents that occur in the home. Those especially vulnerable are the elderly, handicapped or young children, even guests to your home could be at risk if they are not aware of irregularities to do with your staircase. What then, are some of the hazards to be aware of?
Making sure all areas of our home are well maintained is a vital key to ensuring the safety of our households, so have a regular check of the staircase to ensure that they do not present a hazard.
- Each stair should be of equal height. If not, it becomes very easy to trip up them or worse still, fall down them. When a staircase is too steep this can also be dangerous.
- Make sure that handrails and banisters do not become loose.
- Carpet on stairs is another hazard to watch out for. If the carpet becomes loose, someone could easily trip and fall. Any loose carpet should be fixed straight away with carpet tacks or double-sided tape. Stairs that are wooden can be just as much of a hazard if they are over waxed or polished.
- The staircase and surrounding area should have adequate lighting. This is particularly important for those whose eyesight is failing or the elderly, as insufficient lighting could cause a person to trip or fall.
- Outside steps are another area that need attention. If they do not have the correct amount of slope so that water can run off them easily, they can become extremely dangerous, especially in winter conditions where ice can accumulate.
Making sure all areas of our home are well maintained is a vital key to ensuring the safety of our households, so have a regular check of the staircase to ensure that they do not present a hazard.
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