ACC Media Release

17 January 2014

Keep visiting rellies from going belly up these holidays

At this time of year, many of us have relatives and friends staying over – so it’s a good time to take a few simple steps to reduce the risk of home injuries.

“Injuries could happen simply because there are more people in the house, or because visitors are unfamiliar with your home,” says ACC Programme Manager Vicky Upton.

“So it’s a good idea to point out potential hazards that you may be familiar with, but which could trip up visitors, such as single steps between rooms, or uneven garden steps.”

“Having visitors staying can also mean there’s more clutter lying around the home.  Things such as luggage, bedding, shoes and other belongings can all provide a perfect recipe for slips, trips and falls. 

“To ensure your guests don’t go belly up while staying with you, try to keep things as tidy as possible.  It’s especially important to clear toys and clutter from walkways.”

The home is the most common scene of injuries in New Zealand, and last year led to around 670,000 ACC claims. That’s more than a third of the roughly 1.7 million claims lodged overall.

Around 290,000 of the claims for home injuries resulted from falls.

The total cost of home falls was around $260 million.

It’s not just the very old and very young who are at risk of falling. Around 45 per cent of falls happen to ‘working age’ people (aged 20-64 years).

Other tips to help you keep safe at home include:
•         Wipe up spills as soon as they happen
•         Fasten loose rugs to the floor
•         Run power cords along walls, not across rooms
•         Make sure there’s adequate lighting indoors – especially on stairs - and on outdoor access ways
•         Replace blown light bulbs immediately.

ENDS

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