Safety Measures for the Bathroom

Many homeowners spend tons of time thinking about various bathroom elements, from remodels to water efficiency, but they fail to consider one important areas: Safety. Many don’t realize how common bathroom injuries are or what they can do to lower the likelihood of this happening to someone in their home.

At All Hours Plumbing, our plumbers are here to help in this area. Let’s look at some basic numbers behind bathroom accidents, plus some safety measures you can take to avoid these risks in your home.

The Numbers

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 250,000 emergency room visits per year take place in the US just due to bathroom-related injuries. Here are some basic figures on these injuries:

• Over a third of these take place in the bathtub or shower
• Over 400 accidental drownings happen in the bathroom per year
• Nearly 15 percent of all total accidents occur while using the toilet
• Most of these injuries happen to seniors or small children

Proactive Safety Measures

Here are some safety measures you can take in advance to decrease the risks of these kinds of injuries:

• Consider grab bars in showers
• For those who need shower chairs, also consider a flexible shower wand instead of a traditional shower head
• Make sure water is heated no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce burn risks
• Replace any tough faucet handles with easier models for seniors with arthritis to turn
• Replace a low toilet with ADA-approved raised models to lower the chances of falls
• Consider a walk-in bathtub with a built-in bench and other safety features

Additional Considerations

In addition to the above, take a few basic considerations into mind if you have seniors or young children living in the home. Don’t let kids use the sink or tub without help unless they’re old enough, and keep all medicines or cleaning products out of reach or well-sealed. For seniors, consider non-slip strips or flooring in various areas of the bathroom to prevent fall risks.

For more safety tips in the bathroom, or to learn about any of our residential plumbing services, speak to the pros at All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling today.