Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Michigan: Housekeeper Died From Complications Sustained After Falling Down Residential Stairs

摘要

On January 8, 2007, a 62-year-old female housekeeper fell down a flight of stairs at a residence and sustained fractures to her spine. She died several weeks later from complications sustained at the time of the fall. The incident was unwitnessed. She was found at the bottom of the stairs by the homeowner when the homeowner returned home for lunch. The decedent was transported to a local hospital (hospital no. 1) and then transferred to another hospital (hospital no. 2), where she underwent surgery for fractures of her spine. After a period of recovery in the hospital, she was transferred to a local long-term care center. After several weeks, the individuals health began to deteriorate, and she was transferred to hospital no. 2, where she died. Recommendations: (1) When vacuuming stairways, housekeepers should assess whether the vacuum may be safely placed at the top of the stairs or whether the vacuum should be placed at the base of the stairs. (2) Housekeepers should attempt to keep one hand on the stair rail at all times while ascending and descending a stairway. (3) Home cleaning services/self-employed housekeepers should consider using backpack/hip-style vacuum cleaners.