BCC 19-01
January 2008
Falls associated with Baths etc
Vulnerable age
Persons aged 60 years and over
Related hazards
Falling on level surfaces etc
Separation of bathing area
and WC
Front Elevation
Radiator at end of bath
HHSRS Operating
Guidance: Feb 2006
Multiple locations
Yes
No
Secondary hazards
Yes
No
Bath sunk into the floor with wash hand basin adjacent
WC separated from bathing area (but no
door)
DESCRIPTION OF HAZARDS
Dwelling: 2 storey, mid-terraced pre-1920 house
Background: This is a traditionally constructed, mid-terrace two storey house with an extended rear single storey
annexe. The ground floor consists of a hallway, through lounge-diner, and, in the rear annex, a kitchen and bathroom.
On the first floor are three, modest sized, bedrooms and a WC. The ground floor bathroom is modest in size, with the
access from the rear of the kitchen. It has been partially divided with a plastered brick wall but no door to form separate
WC and bathing areas. Within the bathing area is a wash hand basin and a bath that has been sunk into the floor. The
rim of the bath is approximately 100mm above floor level. The bath and basin are of vitrified/glazed "china" in a typical
condition for their age, being around 40-45 years old. At the front end of the bath, fixed onto the front wall, is a radiator
positioned some 550mm above the top of the bath. There are no grab rails within reach of the bath and the bath has no
handles.
LIST OF RELEVANT MATTERS
LIKELIHOOD
OUTCOMES
a
Poor friction
2
a
Projections
1
b
Siting of taps, light switches etc
-
b
Inadequate space
-
c
Handles and grab rails
3
c
Space heating
-
d
Unstable appliance
-
e
Inadequate space
-
Key
3
Seriously defective
f
Inadequate lighting
-
2
Defective
g
Glare
-
1
Not satisfactory
h
Space heating
-
-
Satisfactory/NA
H
I
J
RATING
Score: 3207
G
RATING SCORES AFTER IMPROVEMENT
IMPROVE
Likelihood to
1 in 5,600
Outcomes to
4.6
2.2
10.0 85.6
%
Justification
Replacement of the existing bath with a new bath with non slip internal surfaces at a normal height position, the
provision of grab handles, the resiting of the radiator and removal of the dividing wall should reduce the likelihood of a
harmful fall to nearer average
Av: 8
A
B
C
D
E
F
Average likelihood and outcomes for persons aged 60 years and over,1997-99.
NEW RATING
Av: Nos
Score: 9
H
I
J
G
BCC 19-01
January 2008
HEALTH AND SAFETY RATING SYSTEM SCORES
Low
High
1 in
18
LIKELIHOOD
Av: Pre 1920 Houses: 4,428
< 4200 2400 1300 750 420 240 130
75
42
24
13
7.5
4
2.5
1.5 >
Justification
Members of the vulnerable age group will have great difficulty entering or leaving the bath which is poorly
(and unusually) sited. As well as lacking any grab rails, the bath does not have a slip resistant surface. The
likelihood of a harmful fall is therefore increased considerably above the average for a property of this age
and type. If the floor surface was of ceramic tiles, the likelihood would be further increased.
OUTCOMES
Class I
< 0.05
Class II
< 0.05
Class III
< 0.05
Class IV
< 0.05
%
Av: Pre 1920 Houses: 3.0
4.6
0.15 0.3
0.7
1.5
3
7
15
26
38 >
Av: 1.5
4.6
0.15 0.3
0.7
1.5
3
7
15
26
38 >
Av: 13.9
21.5
0.15 0.3
0.7
1.5
3
7
15
26
38 >
Av: 81.6
69.3
0.15 0.3
0.7
1.5
3
7
15
26
38 >
Justification
The location of the wash hand basin close to the bath, radiator sited at the end of the bath and the edge of
the semi-partition wall close to the bath are likely to increase the chance of serious harm resulting from a
fall associated with use of the bath.
Av: Pre 1920 Houses:8
A
B
C
D
E
F