.gif)
Falling (accident)
Encyclopedia
Falling is a major cause of personal injury
, especially for the elderly
. Builder
s, electrician
s, miner
s, and painter
s represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The WHO
estimate (2002) that 392,000 people die in falls every year. In 1972, Vesna Vulović
survived a fall from 33,000ft without a parachute.
Falls from elevation hazards are present at most 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 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. 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 in the air. Falls are the second leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. In 2000, 717 workers died of injuries caused by falls from ladders, scaffolds, buildings, or other elevations.
Companies must make sure that they follow the applicable safety legislation (e.g. the Occupational Safety and Health Act
in the United States) in order to keep the work environment safe.
. Injuries resulting in falls from buildings vary depending on the building's height and also depends on the type of person (infant, child, adult, elderly, etc.) Falls from the second floor (American; first floor European) usually result in injuries, but are not fatal.
Surviving a fall from higher points requires not injuring the head or pelvis.
Overall, the height at which 50% of children die from a fall is between four and five story
heights above the ground.
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.
Personal injury
Personal injury is a legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. The term is most commonly used to refer to a type of tort lawsuit alleging that the plaintiff's injury has been caused by the negligence of another, but also arises in defamation...
, especially for the elderly
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
. Builder
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
s, electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
s, miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s, and painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The WHO
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
estimate (2002) that 392,000 people die in falls every year. In 1972, Vesna Vulović
Vesna Vulovic
Vesna Vulović is a Serbian former flight attendant. She holds the world record, according to the Guinness Book of Records, for surviving the highest fall without a parachute: .-Plane explosion:...
survived a fall from 33,000ft without a parachute.
Falls in the workplace
Occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational safety and health programs is to foster a safe work environment...
services. Any walking/working surface could be a potential fall hazard. An unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet or more above a lower level should be protected from falling by the use of a guard rail
Guard rail
Guard rail or guardrail, sometimes referred to as guide rail or railing, is a system designed to keep people or vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limits areas...
system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest
Fall arrest
Fall arrest is the form of fall protection which involves the safe stopping of a person already falling. It is one of several forms of fall protection, forms which also include fall guarding and fall restraint Fall arrest is the form of fall protection which involves the safe stopping of a person...
system. 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 in the air. Falls are the second leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. In 2000, 717 workers died of injuries caused by falls from ladders, scaffolds, buildings, or other elevations.
Companies must make sure that they follow the applicable safety legislation (e.g. the Occupational Safety and Health Act
Occupational Safety and Health Act
The Occupational Safety and Health Act is the primary federal law which governs occupational health and safety in the private sector and federal government in the United States. It was enacted by Congress in 1970 and was signed by President Richard Nixon on December 29, 1970...
in the United States) in order 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 defenestrationDefenestration
Defenestration is the act of throwing someone or something out of a window.The term "defenestration" was coined around the time of an incident in Prague Castle in the year 1618. The word comes from the Latin de- and fenestra...
. Injuries resulting in falls from buildings vary depending on the building's height and also depends on the type of person (infant, child, adult, elderly, etc.) Falls from the second floor (American; first floor European) usually result in injuries, but are not fatal.
Surviving a fall from higher points requires not injuring the head or pelvis.
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. The chance of surviving increases if landing on the surface of high deformity, such as snow or water.Overall, the height at which 50% of children die from a fall is between four and five story
Story
Story or Stories may refer to:*Story, a recounting of a sequence of events* Narrative* Bedtime story, a traditional form of storytelling, told to children to prepare them for sleep* Organization story, a narrative used in organization studies...
heights above the ground.
Elderly
In elderly, even falls from standing position to flat ground may cause serious injuries. Stephen Lord at the University of New South WalesUniversity of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
studied 80,000 elderly persons in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
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.
Epidemiology
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