A recent report from UK charity Age UK has highlighted the fact that falls in the elderly could be costing the NHS up to £4.6 million daily. Up to 1 in 3 people aged over 65 fall each year, with falls being a major cause of injury and death in over 70's and accounting for more than 50% of hospital admissions for accidental injury.

The Department of Health are promoting regular exercise and a healthy diet to reduce the chance of a slip and fall injury in the home. Further steps such as grab rails, better lighting are being promoted in buildings catering to the needs of the elderly. Councils are being urged to ensure pavements are level and kept free of obstructions.

The responsibilities of those with publicly accessible spaces are clear. All surfaces must be safe to walk on, providing a low risk of slip. Failure to comply with health and safety law could easily result in the unnecessary suffering or death of an injured pedestrian, increased cost to the NHS and the possibility of personal injury claims and HSE fines.

The elderly or infirm are regarded as 'high risk users' in the HSE Slips Potential Model. The elderly often have a different gait, with a higher frictional demand. A slower reaction time and weaker muscles make a slip more likely to result in a fall. Weaker bones mean a fall is far more likely to result in serious injury than in a younger fitter pedestrian. A lower toe clearance means that trips resulting in falls are also more likely.