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Stairs are a necessity if you want to get from one floor to another in your home. Most of the time, people walk up and down stairs with no problem whatsoever. However, there are times when trips and falls can happen. These accidents can be harmless, but they can also lead to serious injury. This is why you need to do everything you can to prevent falls from happening on the stairs in your home.

Falls are especially likely if there are older people, or young children, living in your home. But, it’s important to remember that anyone can fall on stairs, especially if proper precautions are not taken.

Do not take risks

One of the biggest causes of people falling on stairs is risks being taken. If you want to remain safe on the stairs in your home, you need to have your wits about you, and it’s always a good idea to hold onto the hand rail. Do you really need to carry all of the clean laundry upstairs at once? Taking two trips could be less dangerous. Should you really climb the stairs if you have drunk a lot of alcohol? It may be a better idea to sleep on the sofa for one night. Is it a good idea to rush downstairs, without holding the rail? If you hold on then, even if you trip, you stand a better chance of escaping injury.

Install safety gates

If you have young children living in your home, it’s very important that you install safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. Young children should never have unaccompanied access to the staircase.

Keep staircases in good condition

It’s all too easy to forget about the condition of your staircase. But, a wooden handrail that has rotted can easily give way, and worn stair carpet can be a trip hazard. If your staircase is in need of repair or replacement, you can get help from experts such as Active Metal.

Consider double hand rails or a chair lift

If you have older people living in your home, their balance and mobility may not be too good. This means that they are particularly at risk from falls on the stairs. You may want to consider fitting a handrail on both sides of the staircase. You may even decide that investing in a chair lift is a good idea.

Make stairs non-slip

If you have wooden stairs, it’s a good idea to fit material that helps feet to grip. Having a slippery surface on stairs is not a good idea, as it’s a sure way of increasing the risk of falls. If you have carpet on your stairs, make sure that it’s in good condition and that it’s fitted correctly.

Never underestimate the potential risk from falls on the stairs in your home. It’s important that you do everything you can to limit the risk to anyone who uses the staircase.