A customer, employee, vendor, or visitor slipping and falling at your business can result in an injury claim, medical expenses, lost income, and potential legal costs.
While insurance can provide an important layer of protection against certain liability claims, preventing accidents in the first place is an important part of managing business risk.
The good news is that many slip-and-fall hazards can be identified and addressed before an accident happens.
Keep Walkways Clear
Walkways should be kept free of unnecessary obstacles.
Boxes, equipment, cords, merchandise, tools, and other objects can create tripping hazards when they are left in areas where customers or employees walk.
Establish a routine for keeping aisles, entrances, hallways, and other walking areas clear.
Pay particular attention to areas that become crowded during busy periods.
Address Spills Quickly
Liquid on a floor can create a serious slipping hazard.
Businesses should have a process for identifying and cleaning spills as quickly as possible.
Consider keeping appropriate cleaning supplies readily available so employees don’t have to search for them when a spill occurs.
If an area cannot be cleaned immediately, use appropriate warning signage or restrict access until the hazard has been addressed.
Inspect Floors and Walking Surfaces
Damaged flooring can create both slipping and tripping hazards.
Regularly inspect areas such as:
- Entryways
- Hallways
- Stairs
- Parking areas
- Sidewalks
- Retail floors
- Restrooms
- Outdoor walking areas
Look for cracked surfaces, loose flooring, uneven transitions, damaged mats, potholes, and other conditions that could cause someone to fall.
Use Appropriate Mats at Entrances
Florida businesses can encounter wet floors after rain, particularly around entrances.
Properly placed entrance mats can help reduce the amount of water tracked onto indoor floors.
Mats should be positioned securely and checked regularly.
A damaged, curled, or unsecured mat can create a tripping hazard instead of reducing one.
Pay Attention to Stairs
Stairs deserve particular attention because a fall on a staircase can result in serious injuries.
Check that:
- Handrails are secure
- Steps are in good condition
- Walking surfaces are adequately maintained
- Lighting is sufficient
- Objects aren’t stored on the stairs
- Changes in elevation are clearly visible
Employees should know that stairs and stairwells should not be used for storage.
Maintain Adequate Lighting
Poor lighting can make hazards difficult to see.
Inspect lighting in areas such as entrances, hallways, staircases, parking areas, and walkways.
Replace burned-out bulbs and address lighting problems promptly.
Outdoor areas deserve attention as well, particularly if customers or employees may be walking there after dark.
Create a Regular Inspection Routine
One of the simplest risk-management strategies is to regularly inspect the property.
The inspection doesn’t have to be complicated.
Depending on the business, you might create a checklist covering:
- Floors
- Entrances
- Stairs
- Walkways
- Restrooms
- Parking areas
- Lighting
- Mats
- Handrails
- Outdoor surfaces
The frequency of inspections should reflect the business and its level of activity.
A busy retail business may need more frequent inspections than a small professional office.
Document Your Inspections
Documentation can be useful for risk-management purposes.
A simple inspection log can record:
- Date and time
- Person conducting the inspection
- Areas inspected
- Hazards identified
- Corrective action taken
- Time the issue was resolved
Documentation should accurately reflect what happened. Businesses should not create records simply to appear compliant after an accident.
The goal is to create a practical system that helps identify and correct hazards.
Train Employees to Report Hazards
Employees are often the people who notice hazards first.
Make sure employees understand how to report:
- Spills
- Damaged flooring
- Broken handrails
- Poor lighting
- Obstructions
- Uneven surfaces
- Other potential hazards
Employees should know who is responsible for addressing the problem and what to do when an immediate hazard cannot be corrected.
Don’t Ignore Outdoor Areas
Slip-and-fall risks don’t stop at the front door.
Customers may walk through parking areas, sidewalks, entrances, patios, or other outdoor areas associated with the business.
Regularly inspect those areas for:
- Cracks
- Uneven pavement
- Potholes
- Standing water
- Debris
- Poor lighting
- Loose surfaces
If the property is leased, determine who is responsible for maintaining different areas and notify the appropriate party when a problem needs to be addressed.
What Should You Do After a Fall?
Even with good prevention practices, accidents can happen.
If someone falls at your business, prioritize the person’s immediate safety and seek appropriate medical assistance when necessary.
Your business should also follow its established incident-reporting procedures.
Document the incident accurately and preserve relevant information.
Avoid making assumptions about who was responsible for the accident or promising that the business will pay for someone’s expenses.
If the incident may result in an insurance claim, notify your insurance company or insurance professional promptly and follow the policy’s claim-reporting requirements.
Insurance Is Part of the Risk Management Plan
Preventing accidents is only one part of managing liability risk.
Businesses should also review their insurance coverage to understand how the policy is designed to respond to certain third-party injury claims.
General liability insurance can provide coverage for certain bodily injury and property damage claims, subject to the policy’s terms, conditions, exclusions, and limits.
However, insurance should not be viewed as a substitute for maintaining a safe business environment.
Risk management and insurance work together.
The goal is to reduce the likelihood of an accident while maintaining appropriate insurance protection if a covered claim does occur.
Review Your Business’s Risk Management Practices
Every business has different premises, customers, employees, and operations.
A restaurant may face different slip-and-fall hazards than a professional office. A fitness studio may have different concerns than a retail store or martial arts school.
Take time to walk through your business from the perspective of a customer or visitor.
Look for anything that could cause someone to slip, trip, or fall, and address problems before they become accidents.
Nieves Insurance Group helps Florida small businesses understand their insurance options and consider coverage based on their individual operations.
If you have questions about your business liability coverage, contact Nieves Insurance Group to discuss your insurance needs.
