Disabled friend

atherlon

My friend is 82 and disabled , he lives in a housing association bungalow . 4 weeks ago they upgraded his wet room which was serviceable but a bit dated . Anyway they ripped up flooring etc and where there was a shower floor drain they put in a recessed shower tray and tiled the floor

The tileing and walls are great BUT the acrilic shower tray , when wet , is like ice and today he slipped and hurt his arm and hand , he phoned his HA , as I'm sure they have a duty of care and I think the shower can not meet health and safety if it's so slippery , but they where not intrested .

How can he escalate this if the HA aren't intrested , he's told them he will not be using the shower in its present state and instead will have to have a strip wash daily .

Any help much appreciated



https://images.app.goo.gl/mLMsiti5yTrEb8P68

Albala

A place we used to stay for hols had a shower tray like that, though it was ceramic and not acrylic. IMO it was lethal, I nearly went a-over-t in there more than once- soap/gel etc makes it even worse than water does. I have no idea why they are even manufactured like that-they all ought to have to have a roughened base. As for installing one in this particular gentleman's house- it beggars belief.



As at least a temporary measure, could he get a non-slip mat for it? Perhaps the local mobility aids people might help in some way? The mat would need to be able to grip the slippery surface very well, though, or it could make it even worse.

Albala

I did a quick search and came up with several mats, but the point was made on one site that they really do need to have a good way of gripping the tray surface, or they are worse than nothing.

Ms_Chocaholic

Could he buy something like this in the meantime
https://www.dunelm.com/category/home-and-furniture/bathroom/bath-mats?sku_id=30153615&cm_mmc=pla_google-_-Bathroom_Bath%20Mats_[GOO-PLA-BATHROOM-MATS]-_-Bath%20Mats%20-%20BAU-_-keyword&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9p7uh4Tn4QIVSSrTCh2upgQhEAQYBSABEgJVZvD_BwE

xylophone

he phoned his HA , as I'm sure they have a duty of care and I think the shower can not meet health and safety if it's so slippery , but they where not intrested .

I am very surprised that the HA have not fitted an anti slip shower tray for this very elderly, disabled resident.

https://www.rubberduckbathrooms.co.uk/anti-slip-shower-trays?gclid=EAIaIQobC!!!!vT9lYnn4QIVirDtCh2URQeoEAAYAyAAEgItJvD_BwE

It may be possible to use an anti slip coating?

Has he put the complaint in writing? He could perhaps contact social services if no joy?

Chandler85

It isn't a health and safety issue. The shower is safe for use, it isn't a door handing off a hinge or exposed wires for example, they are safety isssues.



The shower is inappropriate for your disabled friend, the Housing Association will likely make necessary changes for him after he has spoke to them and highlighted the concerns, they probably have an adaptations department who will send a surveyor out.


Once they know it needs sorting they will do.

silvercar

I have merged 2 identical threads.

atherlon

I would have thought that anything that is unsafe in normal use would come under health and safety

Hes using it as designed its just dangerous in use

elsien

If they were aware of his disability, some HAs would have a OT assessment first to make sure the adaptations were suitable. Has this happened in his case?
Having said that, if it's so slippery it would be the same for everyone. Are shower trays designed to be that lethal?

knightstyle

It is a simple job to get and fit some anti slip shower stickers so why not do this for him?
Quicker and easier than having a go at the housing association.

I will also add that if your friend ditched the expensive shower gells etc. and used a bar of soap the shower floor would not be slippery and he would be doing his bit to save our endangered planet.

Albala

I'd say it's legit to 'have a go' at the housing association if they permitted the installation of a shower that is clearly dangerous to the occupant, and in that respect at the very least less satisfactory than the previous arrangement. It would be dangerous to anyone, never mind the gentleman concerned. He may not be able to pick up and put down a shower mat when he needs to use it, which you need to do to keep fungus from growing on it, which it would if it was left in place and not dried out each time.

For a disabled gentleman, changing a wet room floor to a shower tray in the first place seems somewhat worse than daft to me.