FACTS
- Slips, trips, and falls are among the leading causes of injury in childcare settings.
- Most falls occur at floor level during routine activities, not during high-risk play.
- Busy transition times significantly increase the likelihood of missed hazards.
- Wet floors and cluttered walkways are consistently identified as contributing factors.
- Young children are more vulnerable due to developing balance and coordination.
STATS
- Falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries among children in North America.
- In childcare environments, slips and falls account for a significant percentage of incident reports each year.
- Head injuries are one of the most common outcomes of falls in young children.
- Studies show that improved housekeeping and supervision can reduce fall-related incidents by more than 30 percent.
- The median time away from work for same-level falls in the U.S. is approximately 14 days, highlighting the impact of seemingly minor incidents (BLS).
- Falls on the same level account for over 25% of nonfatal workplace injuries in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- In Canada, slips and falls represent about 20% of lost-time injury claims across multiple sectors, including education, summarized by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.