Elderly Llangollen woman suffocated after fall from bed
05 October 2009
by: Claire Gallagher
A SMALL ‘frail’ woman fell between the headboard and railing of her bed and suffocated to death, an inquest heard.
Elizabeth Roberts, 89, was a resident at The Headlands nursing home on Tower Road, Llangollen when the tragedy happened on August 30 last year.
North East Wales coroner John Hughes called the accident ‘potentially a disaster waiting to happen’, because staff at the home had not understood there were health and safety regulations for the management of the bed railings, also known as cot sides.
Mr Hughes stressed the importance of bed railings complying with health and safety legislation to ensure the correct distance between the headboard and railing.
Following the incident, and a Health and Safety Executive investigation, all staff at the home were trained how to use bed railings correctly.
They also removed all the bed railings and replaced them with hospital beds which have railings attached to them.
During the inquest staff told Mr Hughes they had not been trained at the nursing home for health and safety regarding the bed rails.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Leader Live, UK
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