Falling on

Vulnerable age

Related hazards

stairs etc

Yes

Yes

No

No

Persons aged 60 and over

Multiple locations

Falling between levels

Secondary hazards

Front entrance

Rear entrance

DESCRIPTION OF HAZARDS

DWELLING: 1956 built, semi-detached house

Background: The brick-built house (part rendered front and rear) contains three bedrooms and a bathroom

at first floor level with two rooms and kitchen on the ground floor. The top right photograph shows the results

of alterations carried out to the front garden some four years ago to provide a parking space when the two

step paved steps to the font entrance door were constructed. The bottom photograph indicates the original

three steps to the rear door, to the side of which the occupier has provided an insecure handrail system.

There is no direct illumination to the front or the rear steps. The internal staircase has two handrails and is

about average for this age of property.

LIST OF RELEVANT MATTERS

LIKELIHOOD & OUTCOMES

F

R

a

Tread lengths

2

2

b

Riser heights

3

2

c

Variation in tread or riser

1

-

d

Nosing length

1

-

e

Poor friction quality

3

3

f

Lack of handrails

3

2

g

Height of handrail

3

3

h

Inadequate lighting

3

3

Outcomes

a

Length of flight

1

2

b

Pitch of Steps

3

2

c

Hard surfaces

3

3

21 (IDeA - 02)

June 2006

HHSRS 06/06

# Compounding matters

-

None

A

B

-

-

Key

3

Seriously defective

2

Defective

1

Not satisfactory

-

Satisfactory/NA

F

R

d

Construction /Repair

-

2

A

B

C

D

E

Likelihood to

1 in

320

Outcomes to

4.6 10.0 21.5 63.9

%

Rebuilding both sets of steps to comply with current standards, providing suitable

handrails on both sides of the two sets of steps, and providing adequate illumination would

together decrease the likelihood to at least average. While the outcomes may remain the

same the overall score will be nearer average.

Av: 116

IMPROVE

Justification

NEW RATING

Av: Nos

G

H

I

J

Average likelihood and health outcomes for all persons aged 60 years and over,1997-99.

F

Score:

197

21 (IDeA - 02)

June 2006

HEALTH AND SAFETY RATING SYSTEM SCORES

LIKELIHOOD

32

Low

High

1 in

Av 1946-79 Houses: 256

32

< 4200 2400 1300 750 420 240 130

75

42

24

13

7.5

4

2.5

1.5 >

Justification

OUTCOMES

Class I

Class II

Class III

Class IV

Justification

RATING

The access steps to both the front and rear main entrances of the property have no or

inadequate handrails (to one side only of the rear steps). The surfaces of both sets of

steps have poor frictional quality and both lack of direct illumination. The rise from the top

step to the front entrance door threshold is greater than the other two. These factors

substantially increase the likelihood of a fall and injury to a member of the vulnerable age

group particularly in icy or wet weather and at night.

%

Av 1946-79: 1.6

4.6

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 6.6

10

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 21.6

21.5

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 70.2

63.9

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

The hard and unforgiving surfaces at the bottom of the steps onto which a fall would occur

increase the risk of extreme and severe harm occurring particularly during cold weather or

at night. The steps themselves also have hard edges and corners and the possibility of

severe and serious harm is increased.

Av 1946-79 Houses: 116

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

Score:

1971

RATING SCORES AFTER IMPROVEMENT