Spills and Falls Risk Focus Area

It may be a shock to many, but did you know that compared to private industries, a hospital is one of the most hazardous places to work? According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in 2019, hospitals in the U.S. reported nearly 220,000 work-related injuries and illnesses, which equates to approximately 5.5 work-related injuries for every 100 full-time employees (OSHA.gov).¹ Additionally, the author of one study found that the most commonly reported patient adverse event each year is patient falls, with roughly 700,000 to 1 million events reported each year, resulting in 250,000 injuries and nearly 11,000 deaths.² These statistics further strengthen the case for building effective processes and education on safety, not just for patients but for hospital workers as well.

When looking at injury prevention, there needs to be open dialogue on the root cause of the injuries; however, evaluating the root cause alone is simply not enough. Facilities should have processes in place to monitor and track trends to identify any “problem areas” or issues that need correction. In addition to evaluating processes, there must also be a robust education program that teaches safety for issues such as ergonomics, best practices to prevent injuries, fall prevention, and general safety. In the final risk focus area for November and December, Slips and Falls, we would love for you to join us as we delve into these safety issues and explore best practices. Webinar sessions will include updates on Facility Falls Reduction, Back Safety and Injury Prevention, and Ergonomics: Hazards and Best Practices. These educational sessions provide an excellent opportunity for your team to detect the root cause of incidents and ultimately integrate these learnings into future improved workflows and processes.

Click to view the Dates and Times with Registration Links HERE

Inspirien’s team of Risk Consultants will offer practical resources to help you build actionable initiatives for taking that next step in the process improvement journey. This focus area is just one of Inspirien’s Risk Prevention strategies designed to help teams move from a reactive to a proactive focus on risk.

These webinars and others in the company’s Risk Prevention Series are included in the benefits package for Inspirien customers and HWCF members. If you are not a customer and want to know more about Inspirien’s suite of products and services, please contact us at riskmanagement@inspirien.net or call 1-800-821-9605 to speak to a member of our Risk Team.