Preventing Slip And Fall Accidents From Occurring At Your Business
Personal injury cases can be a big deal for you or your business. If a personal injury case is filed against you, there is an entire litany of problems to deal with: court costs, maintaining the integrity of your business, making doubly sure it doesn't happen again, etc. The best way to avoid a personal injury suit is just that: avoid it! Of the most common personal injury suits filed against businesses, many involve slip and fall accidents. There are plenty of ways to avoid such cases; these are just a few of the precautions that you can take.
Salting The Outside Of Your Establishment During Icy Weather
The most common time for someone to slip and fall in a public setting is during icy weather. Remember that you can be held responsible for the medical bills of anyone who has a slip and fall accident on your property during icy conditions. Luckily, you can use salt to prevent ice from forming, as well as use salt to make the icy build up melt faster.
In some states, it is required that business owners salt pathways leading up to their business; for others, it is not a legal requirement, but it is highly recommended. By salting the pathways leading up to your business before and after icy weather conditions, you will be taking precautions against any potential personal injury suits.
Set Cardboard Down During Rainy Conditions
Rainy days are the most common of crummy weather conditions. They can also be established as a legitimate cause of injury for a slip and fall personal injury suit. A very common trick amongst businesses – especially mom and pop stores like delis, corner stores and family owned restaurants – is to place duct-taped cardboard on the floor of the business. This ensures that the floor will not remain constantly wet, creating a likely place for potential customers to slip and fall.
Make Sure That Your Business Is Adequately Dry After Cleanup
Many times businesses will neglect to make sure that floors are adequately dry after mop cleanups. This is a big no-no for all businesses. Make sure that employees are properly trained regarding mopping up messes and how to adequately dry the floor afterwards. Many employees are under the impression that mopping up an area, placing a wet floor sign near the potential accident, and then moving along to the next task is entirely adequate. It is best to perform a thorough-going mop job – including drying the floor – and then placing a wet floor sign next to the potential slip area in order to ensure maximum safety.
Make Sure That Your Business Is Free From Ground Clutter
Although water and weather-based slip and fall personal injury cases are the most common, there is a long list of other potential hazards that can cause someone to slip and fall at your business. One of the easiest things that you can do for your business is make sure that the floor is free of clutter. This can be a trying task, as many people have so little room for everything they wish to stock in their business. However, it is important to keep inventory of these items – cords, items in stock, etc. – and to keep a close eye on them, such that you keep your customers out of harm's way.
As you can see, slip and fall personal injury claims may be common, but they need not be. As established, there are plenty of good reasons to avoid being on the defendant's end of such claims: court costs, maintaining the integrity of your business, making sure that it does not happen again, and so on. However, your best bet is to make sure that you won't be in the defendant's chair of such cases to begin with. By taking simple precautions at your business, you can avoid being on the defendant's side of such court cases. If you are the target of a slip and fall case, many experienced slip and fall attorneys exist that can defend you against any charges. For more information, visit a website like http://www.putnamlieb.com.