As winter continues ad there is ice about in may places, a reminder for everyone in our faith communities on how to keep safe.

Churches

Take slips, trips and falls seriously and make sure that it is on your radar to keep an eye out for anything that may cause someone to slip or trip. We recommend adding a Health and Safety Risk Assessment to your annual property inspections: you may find this Slips, Trips and Falls Checklist helpful.

Don’t forget that a significant hazard may not be on your property, but immediately outside e.g. uneven footpaths, (invisible) height changes from a public footpath to your premises. If you see these, contact your local authority and see what they can do to fix this. If there is an immediate risk, see if you can direct people to enter Church premises another (safe) way.

There may be other hazards that appear at certain times of the year that you need to take into consideration e.g. black ice spots or excessive mud.

Are you at risk?

Falls are not just a risk for older people, but everyone can be at risk of tripping and being injured.

If you are not so physically active or have noticed you are feeling unsafe (especially in winter). there is a falls prevention programme you can access that ACC are recommending: https://nymblscience.com/nz-fallsfree-welcome/

• Download app on Google Play
• Download app on Apple device

We have noticed over the past year or so that there have been several incidents where people have slipped, tripped or fallen, either at home or on/near church premises. Slips, trips and falls can happen to anyone of any age, but as we get older, these can have a significant impact. So, what can we do? 

Individuals

Keep an eye out for the following in the environments that you move about in:

• Poor housekeeping/messy areas
• Ground clutter, including mats/rugs
• Unstable surfaces
• Uneven or slippery floor surfaces
• Lack of signage (in public spaces)
• Poor lighting
• Unmarked changes in floor levels
• Damaged flooring
• Lack of/not using handrails

If you can do something about any of these, sort them out before they literally trip you up. If you can’t, identify who can you talk to or ask for help from.

In your own home, you may benefit from an assessment from a community occupational therapist or other health professional. They can advise you on what you may need to adjust or modify at home, or if there are simple alterations you can make or equipment you can borrow or buy that will make things safer for you.

Talk to your GP or another health professional and ask if you may be eligible for an assessment.

What else you can do

• Keep your work and access areas clear
• Take time to tidy as you work
• Pay attention to your surroundings
• Put any tools you are using away
• Wear suitable footwear with good grip
• Keep areas well-lit
• Identify and make safe any hazards around you e.g. holes, access hatches
• Use mechanical lifting aids rather than carrying heavy or unwieldy loads that block the view ahead. If you don’t have anything you can use to assist you, don’t try to do that task!
• Use cordless tools where possible. If you need to use cables for temporary lighting or power tools, run the cables at a high level
• Improve the design of the environment/site e.g. install handrails
• Communicate with others around you about hazards
• Allow extra time when conditions are slippery
• Check your path is clear before carrying loads and make sure you can see over and around your load
• Treat slippery surfaces with stone or grit, depending on the conditions
• Consider using a ramp for any changes in level. Where this is not possible, use signs to warn people to look out for a level change

All of us can stop and take stock of what we are planning to do. Ask yourself:

• What will I be doing?
• What are the hazards?
• What equipment and plant do I need?
• How can I get hurt?
• What if something unexpected happens?

Preventing slips, trips and falls

The best preventive action that any of us can take is to keep active, maintaining our strength and resilience so that we are less likely to fall and have unwelcome injuries. ACC have a particular focus on preventing falls for over 65 years olds. They also have suggestions for strength and balance activities for older people.

Have a look at online videos for exercising at home including Steady As You Go videos from Age Concern (resources attached at the end of this article) as well as the Nymbl falls prevention programme at the top of this article.

Before you do any of the exercises in the videos and/or resources, please make sure you've read these health and safety recommendations:

Wear suitable footwear such as sneakers or a firm fitting flat-soled shoe

• Have a phone in close reach
• Use something stable, such as a kitchen bench or sturdy chair for support
• Make sure you have plenty of space around you to complete your exercises
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, either during or after exercise. Have a closed drink bottle nearby, avoid having cups or glasses that can spill easily near you
• Try and breathe normally whilst doing the exercises
• Feeling slight muscle soreness the next day is normal and just shows you've worked the muscles hard
• If any of the exercises cause pain in your joints or muscles, stop immediately. Check you're doing the exercise correctly and try again. If pain persists, leave that exercise out until you've sought advice

If you experience chest pain, severe shortness of breath or severe dizziness, stop immediately and contact your healthcare provider.

Have a look at our all of our Health and Safety Articles here

Sources:

1. Site Safe Te Kaitiaki o Haumaru: https://www.sitesafe.org.nz/guides--resources/practical-safety-advice/slips-trips-and-falls/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqoibBhDUARIsAH2OpWi8GuobBkSrYgPkJ4F6Q-iOgZIpC1lrvEexUp8XhlcAjSWJomxweD4aAs7lEALw_wcB

2. Worksafe Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/slips-trips-falls/

3. ACC: https://www.acc.co.nz/preventing-injury/trips-falls/ and https://nymblscience.com/nz-fallsfree-welcome/