When did you trip over a dead mouse? - briefly
I tripped over a dead mouse while navigating the attic on December 3 2022. The incident occurred during a routine inspection of the roof space.
When did you trip over a dead mouse? - in detail
The incident occurred on the evening of October 12, 2023, while I was walking through the narrow hallway of the basement storage area at the office building. The corridor was dimly lit, with only a single overhead fluorescent fixture providing intermittent illumination. A loose piece of cardboard had been placed near the far wall to support a stack of archived files; the cardboard obscured the floor surface.
As I approached the obstruction, my foot made contact with a compact, lifeless rodent that lay directly beneath the cardboard. The animal was positioned perpendicular to the direction of travel, its body spanning approximately six inches. The sudden impact caused my right ankle to lift unintentionally, resulting in a brief loss of balance. I fell forward, landing on the concrete floor with my hands extended to break the descent.
Immediate observations after the fall included:
- A bruised left wrist from the impact against the floor.
- A mild sprain of the right ankle, confirmed by reduced range of motion.
- The dead mouse remained intact, positioned near the point of contact.
First‑aid measures were applied within two minutes. I performed a self‑assessment, applied pressure to the wrist to control bleeding, and used a cold compress on the ankle to reduce swelling. The building’s safety officer arrived shortly thereafter, documented the incident, and arranged for a professional cleaning crew to remove the carcass and sanitize the area.
A post‑incident report was filed with the occupational health department, noting the lack of adequate lighting and the unsecured storage material as contributing factors. Recommendations included installing additional lighting fixtures, securing loose cardboard, and conducting regular inspections of low‑visibility zones to prevent recurrence.
Recovery proceeded without complications. Physical therapy sessions over the following week restored full wrist function, while the ankle regained strength after three days of controlled exercises. The event highlighted the necessity of maintaining clear pathways and proper hazard identification in confined workspaces.