Fall Safety Tips to Keep Your Autumn Accident-Free

Everyone looks forward to fall. Colors in the landscape and cozy evenings by the fire. However, for homeowner do-it-yourselfers and those who like being outdoors, the upcoming season is one where caution should not be thrown to the wind. There are many ways you can hurt yourself while taking care of autumn chores. Emergency department and trauma medical director at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hecktown Oaks, Raymond Melder, DO, has seen it all. He reviews a few fall safety tips that can keep your health intact.

“Each year in the United States, there are about 164,000 injuries treated in ERs and 300 deaths that are caused by falls from ladders.” - Raymond Melder, DO

Whether you want to clean the gutters, trim tree branches or paint the garage, chances are you’ll do it from a ladder. “We see a lot of falls because people are not using ladders according to what the experts recommend,” Dr. Melder says. “Each year in the United States, there are about 164,000 injuries treated in ERs and 300 deaths that are caused by falls from ladders. Even being one or two steps up can result in significant injuries like brain bleeds and a broken neck or back.”

To be safe, it’s important to pay attention to OSHA training institute Education Center guidelines.

• Place the ladder on a stable, level surface, never on boxes, boards or soft ground.
• Always keep two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand on the ladder (3-point contact).
• Face the ladder when climbing up and down.
• Don’t tip it sideways or lean out beyond the side rails.
• Never climb a ladder with things in your hands; wear a tool belt.
• Don’t use the top step of a step ladder.

Often your back takes the brunt of fall cleanup. You’re either raking leaves, pulling weeds, lifting bags of mulch or stacking firewood. “Back strains and herniated (slipped) discs can be some of the more common injuries in the emergency department this time of year,” Dr. Melder says. To avoid back injury, the experts advise using your leg muscles when lifting. Here’s how:

• Stand as close to the item as possible with your feet shoulder-width apart, one foot slightly ahead of the other.
• Bend at the knees and hips into a squatting position.
• Keeping your head up, and back and shoulders straight, engage your core muscles as you push against the ground and straighten your legs.

Other tips:

• You should never twist your body or lift something heavy above shoulder level.
• When you set down the item, squat again, bending only at the knees and hips.
• For pulling weeds, kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements to keep the muscles and body balanced.

A fireplace adds ambience to any evening, especially when the leaves begin to drop outside. To make sure yours is ready to cozy up to, review these safety steps:

Check in with a chimney sweep. At the start of the wood burning season, have a chimney sweep remove creosote, soot and debris from your chimney and flue.

Put a cap on. If you don’t have one already, add a cap fitted with wire mesh covering the top of your chimney. This will keep rain, debris and small animals from falling into the chimney.

Set up a safe zone. Move any flammable objects like rugs, curtains, furniture and paper at least three feet from the fireplace. If you have children or pets, make sure they know the fireplace is off limits.

Burn dry wood. Stay away from freshly cut wood since it will produce smoke and creosote when it burns. Seasoned hardwoods that have been split and dried for at least six months are the safest.

Finally, your activities will be squashed if you pick up a virus or the flu. This time of year is when these illnesses begin to ramp up, so it’s smart to minimize your chances.

“Keep standard protections in mind such as washing your hands frequently, covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing, avoiding those who are sick and staying home from work when you are sick,” Dr. Melder says. “Getting the proper amount of sleep and eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables are often understated but help keep your immune system strong.”

He adds: “Always, one of the best fall safety tips for virus protection is to get your annual flu shot and make sure you and your family are up to date on vaccines. Remember, the flu shot may not prevent you from getting sick entirely, but it will help lessen the symptoms, so it is not as severe, and you are able to recover quicker.”