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Accident proof your bathroom
Bath mats and rugs can help prevent accidents in a bathroom. Photo by Racheal Mabala
What you need to know:
- One can only be so careful in the bathroom because anyone is a potential bathroom accident victim.
- However, there are steps one can take to accident proof their bathroom
There are thousands of people every year who die because of falls and accidents in the home, with the bathroom contributing the biggest percentage of those deaths.
Most of these accidents occur in the bathroom where floors are oftentimes slippery and hard surfaces and corners are abundantly. Accidents in the bathroom are not just major concerns for homes with elderly members, but also for those with children, individuals with disabilities, and those who have mobility problems.
Fortunately, there are proven and effective ways to make your bathroom safer and accident-proof.
These preventive measures can minimize the chances of slips and falls in the bathroom. Among these effective fall-proof methods are as follows:
Use of plastic bathtubs and sinks
It is believed that a good number of deaths in the bathroom are because of a slippery floor but mostly because victims hit their heads on the melamine bathtubs or sinks.
However, a quick solution to that is that there has been an introduction of plastic bathtubs and sinks. Much as they look like the melamine, the plastic bathtubs and sinks are greatly accident proof because a person can’t get injured even if they hit their head on them as explains Muhammad Kigozi, a resident of Kisaasi explains.
“I lost my grandfather because he hit his head on a bathtub. Ever since then, I made sure that I install plastic items in my house to avoid such cases from happening again,” he said.
However, these plastic items are slightly more expensive than melamine and can be accessed in Nakasero and industrial area.
Use of non-slip bath mats
According to Nasib Matovu, a dealer in bathroom ware, many falls occur when people get in and out of the bathtub or shower, and during times when users adjust valves or operate temperature controls.
“To avoid these problems, make sure to place non-slip mats of strips in the bathtub or shower and just outside it. If your bathroom has tiled surfaces, think of redesigning to install textured surfaces that prevent slips,” he says.
Ensuring adequate lighting
Because other accidents happen at night and are mainly caused by improper lighting,
Nasib advises that enough lighting can prevent all that.
“Make sure that your switch is easily accessible in the dark.
“You should also consider installing a night light, especially if some members in your household frequently use the bathroom at night. This way, they do not have to grope around to look for the switch.”
Handrails and grab bars
Grab bars and handrails are great ways to minimise accidents in the bathroom. They provide extra support and can be conveniently installed in strategic areas like the toilet, the side walls of the tub, and the entrance. Make sure they are within easy reach.
De-clutter
“Falls can be caused by tripping on items lying on the bathroom floor,” said Sam Mukasa, a plumber with Franktext plumbers says.
“Make sure to keep the floor clean of practically everything. make sure there is a place to put everything in. You may also want to avoid those bulky, raised bath rugs as users can easily trip on them.”
Liquid soap dispenser
Dispensers held in place can be quite useful, especially if you have elderly or infirmed members in the household.
With dispensers, they no longer have to go through all the trouble of reaching the soap in their trays. Remember too, that soaps are slippery on its own – anyone can easily slip on it if it accidentally gets dropped on the bathroom floor.
It is very important for you to be vigilant about keeping your bathroom accident proof. It doesn’t take much to redesign the bathroom – and every bit you spend in doing so is an investment worth spending on.
Clean
Your bathroom
•Remove all items from their usual spot.
For best results, remove all of your products from the shower and/or bathtub.
•Dust and sweep.
•Finish the shower and bathtub.
•Clean the vanity area.
•Clean the toilet.
•Mop the floor.
Submerge your mop into the bucket of cleaning solution, squeeze out excess water, then clean the bathroom floor
