Non-injury Accident

Non-injury Accident
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

Non-Injury Accident
Question a
Recently while I was at home doing some chores, a non-injury accident occurred. I had just finished cleaning the floor when a book cabinet fell over. The cabinet landed on a table that was adjacent to it. The table had some utensil that had been used by my siblings who had just left. All the utensil on the table were broken. The table adjacent to the cabinet also broke. Additionally, there was a beautiful flower vase nearby which was also broken when the cabinet fell. The books on the cabinet were strewn all over the veranda. I was standing a few meters away from where the cabinet was. Although the reading area is a place in our house that is frequented by many people including visitors, there was no one at the point where the cabinet fell. The book cabinet had been in use for a while, and it was the first time such an accident was happening. Improper positioning of the cabinet could have probably caused the accident. It had been restocked with books that morning, and its position was also changed. However, the person who changed the arrangement was not keen to ensure that it was stable.
Question b
The minor incident would have been severe if there were people in the reading area. It would have fallen on them and caused serious injuries. The possible injuries on people would include broken limbs. The cabinet could even have caused death if it fell on a small child and there was no one to help them.

A child could not have lifted off the cabinet of such magnitude if it fell on them. The minor accident would also have been severe if the cabinet was located near an open fire and there was no one in sight. A fire would have broken out and caused more damage. The books on the cabinet could have easily caught fire. The cabinet was also made of wood, and it would also have burnt. The fire could have spread to other rooms in the house and even probably to other neighboring houses causing more harm and increasing the possibility of people getting injured.
Question c
There are various ways of ensuring that the accident does not occur again. One of the ways is to have a book cabinet that is fitted to the wall so that it does not fall off. Use braces or anchors to attach furniture to the wall (Parker, 2013). A cabinet that is fitted to the wall is not only safer but also economical on space. Additionally, the accident can be prevented by always ensuring that a movable cabinet is placed on a flat place where it is firm and cannot be moved. It is critical to ensure its stability whenever its position is changed. Safety should be a priority over posh décor (Adelson, 2013). It would also help to have it leaning against the wall. People should also avoid shaking or moving the cabinet unnecessarily. Users should be encouraged to be more careful when removing or putting back books on the cabinet. Additionally, the accident can be prevented by avoiding overloading the cabinet beyond its capacity. Overloading a cabinet reduces its stability and could also cause breakage. The capacity of the book cabinet should be maintained by taking away old books and replacing them with some new books when the need arises.

References
Adelson, R. (2013). Staying Power: Age-Proof Your Home for Comfort, Safety and Style. Philadelphia, NJ: Bookbaby.
Parker, L. (2013). How to do a health and safety audit. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.