Make Your Business Safer: Keep Slip and Fall Lawyers at Bay

It's a busy day in your restaurant, there are reservations expected to arrive, a wait at the door and your staff is flittering about like worker bees in a hive. In all this hustle and bustle the last thing you need to hear is the crash of entrees and dishes on the floor as someone slips and falls in your workplace. Sure, accidents happen, but all it takes is one angry customer or worker with the right slip and fall lawyer to close your doors for good. If you thought the insurance your business pays for accidents of this kind was expensive before, wait until after your first accident on-site and ensuing prosecution by a slip and fall lawyer. Some companies will shut you down on the spot until the flooring issue is remedied with the threat of cancelling your policy.

Now is the time to take falling injuries in the workplace seriously! Falling accidents are the second leading cause of accidental deaths after car accidents within the U.S. Yellow cones and signs that say "Warning, Slippery Floor When Wet" don't cut it anymore. In an attempt to prove negligence, a slip and fall lawyer would take one look at your yellow warning signs and argue that you already knew about the potential for accidents to occur. Even if you're not worried about accidents happening, slippery floors can slow down foot traffic in your place of business, and morale can be affected if employees think they are constantly at risk for accidents while they are walking around at work.

Even the Federal government has an opinion on when public floors get too slippery for their own good. OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) as well as the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) both have rulings when it comes to slick floors. The Static Coefficient of Friction, or SCOF, must be at least 0.5 or greater to be called a safe walking surface under OSHA, while the ADA stipulates a SCOF of 0.6 or greater on horizontal surfaces. However, the only way to measure this coefficient is to have a slip meter, which most businesses typically do not have on hand. The penalties, which can occur should your place of business not meet OSHA and ADA standards during an accident, can be compromising.

Instead of standing around waiting for someone to fall, it's best if business owners are proactive and send a sample of their flooring material to slip-resistant service companies, or solicit them to come by for an inspection. This company would be able to tell them their SCOF and make safety recommendations from there. Establish a regular floor-cleaning regimen with your cleaning staff that is well documented, and do not let foreign materials or waste accumulate on walking surfaces.

If you'd like to apply a slip-resistant solution to your floor yourself, first you should sweep, mop and remove any waxes from the floor. Next, apply the solution and give it time to dry. Multiple coats might be necessary, depending on the type of flooring.