Safety Strategies for Mitigating Slip-and-Fall Incidents in Restrooms: Infrastructure, Technology, and Behavioural Approaches

Abstract

 More than 80% of home-related injuries take place in restrooms. Falls in restrooms rank as the second most common cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, resulting in substantial financial and medical costs. The majority of current fall prevention strategies focus on changing an individual’s behaviour and using technology, with little consideration of environmental factors, especially in developing nations. Comprehensive intervention strategies that combine technology, infrastructure, and behavioural approaches in urban Nigerian settings are not well studied. 300 online questionnaires were administered to various age groups in Lagos, Kano, and Abuja cities using a mixed-methods approach that included correlation analysis and the Relative Importance Index (RII) in four validated domains: behavioural practices, intervention effectiveness, causal factors, and infrastructure quality. Infrastructure installations are generally effective, yet wet flooring poses safety hazards, particularly slip-and-fall risks. The Risk Index Indicator (RII) of 0.415 suggests moderate effectiveness in mitigating accident risks. Notably, water accumulation (RII = 0.518) and loose bathroom mats (RII = 0.306) are identified as moderately dangerous factors. Effective safety measures include proper drainage (RII = 0.822), improved lighting (RII = 0.808), and physical supports such as grab bars (RII = 0.772). Moreover, risk awareness (RII = 0.850) and knowledge of safety equipment (RII = 0.820) are essential for enhancing safety behaviours. This gives infrastructure upgrades and environmental moisture management more importance than technology-based fixes. In place of focusing on individual behavioural interventions, building codes and healthcare policies should be revised to prioritise comprehensive environmental modifications.