ACC urges Kiwis to remain safe from winter injuries

ACC said that having more than 200,000 home-based injuries every winter is a statistic it wants to change, so it released a breakdown of the top five causes of injuries during winter to help New Zealanders be more mindful and take steps to prevent injury.

The most common cause of winter injuries is falls. In the last five winters, 295,837 people had a fall in their home that resulted in a claim with ACC.

“Making homes fall-friendly is simple,” ACC said. “Pieces of décor like rugs and mats are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to falls in homes, so have a look at how many you have on your floors. Loose electrical cables are a shocker at sending us flying, as well as toys and other objects that don’t belong on the floor. Taking a few seconds to move something out of the way can make a world of difference.”

While elderly people are most vulnerable to falls, infants and children below 10 years old are almost just as likely to have a fall-related injury at home.

The second most common cause of injury is lifting or carrying objects. Over the last five years, ACC received 203,528 new claims from lifting/carrying-related injuries.

“Preventing injury when lifting and carrying breaks down to two areas: knowing your limits and maintaining good form,” ACC said. “Our bodies will tell us when we’re lifting something that’s too heavy, and we need to listen.”

In third place is slipping and skidding, with 105,574 people over the last five winters sustaining a home-based injury. Kiwis must be more mindful of the surfaces they are walking on and avoid stepping on wet or frozen surfaces.

“If there’s a spill around your home, it’s important to clean it up immediately,” ACC said. “If it’s been raining outside, simply being aware of the potential danger and wearing appropriate footwear can get you where you’re going safely. Ice in winter is very hard to spot, but if you notice that the ground is shinier than usual it may be due to surface ice. If you see it, melt it.”

Puncture wounds are the fourth most-common causes of injuries during winter, with 87,431 people making claims over the past five years. These are often caused by stepping on a sharp object, accidentally grabbing onto something sharp or slipping while preparing food.

ACC reminded the public to always keep sharp objects where they can’t hurt anybody, especially children, as well as practice knife safety in the kitchen.

In fifth place is twisting movement. ACC recorded 87,100 claims for this cause over the past five winters.

“We more commonly refer to it as putting our back out but turning suddenly and twisting our back can cause various painful injuries,” ACC said. “Take a moment to think about turning your whole body around rather than just twisting your back.”