Slipping and falling while going about your daily business is not a far-fetched thing to happen. But how does a person determine if the cause was preventable?
Fortunately, companies can take steps to ensure customers have a higher level of protection from slip and fall accidents.
Fixing poor lighting
SCORE discusses how to limit the chance of slip-and-fall accidents from happening at your business. First, resolve any poor lighting issues. Glare, dark shadows and low visibility all lead to people losing their ability to detect and thus react to dangers. They may not spot cracks in the floor, uneven flooring, or defects underfoot.
Fixing property hazards
Next, check for hazards in and around the property. Look for slippery floors, parking lot defects, uneven surfaces, cracked walkways and more. Make sure to check frequently, as new hazards may appear.
Install signs, too. You cannot fix every potential issue the moment you spot it. You can, however, give potential customers advanced notice about the areas of danger that exist in your store. That way, they have appropriate warning and can avoid the areas.
Take care of problems fast
Finally, take care of problems as soon as you notice them, when possible. As mentioned, it is not always possible or financially prudent to take care of every single problem right away. However, prioritize making fixes as fast as possible.
Temporary fixes may work just as well, too. For example, if a floor is too slippery, it is possible to throw a textured rug over that area while planning on a replacement for it. In this way, customers can stay much safer.