At some point, everyone has slipped or fallen. At home, all that matters is helping the person who fell. But in public, it’s a different story. There’s an additional concern for the property owner, and that concern goes by the name of liability. With that in mind, owners of retail establishments should decrease the safety risks of walking on their property.
One way this is done is enhancing security measures; doing so can reduce slip and fall claims by employees, customers and vendors. There are other improvements that can be made as well. Consider these tips when aiming to reduce slip and fall hazards.
Make improvements to walking surfaces.
Most legitimate slip and fall accidents involve some kind of loss in traction between a person’s shoe and the floor, sidewalk or parking lot. These surface conditions may include:
- Wet or greasy floors
- Floors covered in a dry powder, sawdust, etc.
- Fresh polish or wax on floors (tip: always block these areas off until dry)
- Loose, bubbled or torn carpet
- Sudden steps on a floor or deck (tip: until the repair, post a “watch your step” notice)
- Concrete or asphalt in need of resurfacing
- Uneven brick floors, floors with missing bricks or tiles
- Asymmetrical stairs, or stairs with no hand rails
- Slippery outdoor surfaces after rain, ice or snow
To reduce the risk of someone falling in your establishment, start by assessing where repairs are needed. Commence the work immediately, and make sure they have been completed properly.
Maintain clean flooring surfaces.
Good custodial work is the key to making sure floors stay safe long after the repairs are completed. Custodians should ensure floors don’t build up with anything that could cause someone to fall: shoe scuff can easily cause someone to trip, and everything from spilled water or coffee to a smear of grease can lead to a quick, unexpected slip on the floor.
Make sure your maintenance staff cleans walking surfaces daily, both inside and out. Hard floors are not the only floors in need of cleaning; carpet of any thickness should be vacuumed daily and shampooed routinely, as they can also be sources of falling hazards if not well-maintained.
Explore ways to improve building security.
After all floors and parking lots have been repaired and a maintenance routine is established, the final way to reduce slip and fall accident risks is improving retail security. Texas retailers should have high quality CCTV video surveillance installed over all corners of the floor – not only for loss mitigation, but also to have evidence in the event of slip and fall claims.
All of these are measures retail owners can take to reduce slip and fall liability risks on the property. To inquire about video surveillance solutions that can help, contact RC Security Consulting.
About RC Security Consulting
RC Security Consulting protects the heart of Texas with design, installation, retrofit, repair, inspection and monitoring of commercial security systems. We are centrally located in Collin County and provide service for almost 200 miles in all directions.
