Top Causes of Slips And Falls

One of the worst aspects of slips and falls is that so many of them are preventable. Sometimes people can be very seriously injured after this kind of accident and knowing that it could have been prevented makes things so much harder to deal with. Whilst many Connecticut slip and fall lawyers do their best to ensure that victims are awarded the right amount of compensation, a far better approach is that more businesses and property owners take steps to minimize the risk of these accents occurring. To help us do that, we need to understand what the most common causes are.

Weather Conditions

There is one common cause of slips and falls which we really cannot do too much about and that is the weather. With this being said however many workplaces can look to take action when cold weather hits, and make sure that any standing water is cleared away or ice gritted, when it is possible to do so.

Wet Surfaces

Wet surfaces pose a danger to anyone who walks over them and this is why we have such a robust system in place to take care of spillages in the workplace. Not only should spillages be cleaned up as soon as possible, it is imperative that we give people notice that there is a spillage so that they can take care. In almost all cases where someone falls on a wet surface, there is no sign to tell them that the floor is wet.

Improper Training

It is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that all staff have the correct training which will keep them safe at work. In spite of this however we consistently see cases of slips and falls which have been caused by improper training. There are risks associated with many jobs and it is imperative that staff are correctly trained so as to avoid any of the dangers associated with slips and falls.

Nursing Home Neglect

Sadly, and worryingly, there are a lot of claims for slips and falls made by older people who are living in a nursing home. There are some instances where this can happen without blame of course, but in the main we are seeing that the number of falls in these locations is down to neglect. Given the chances of an injury being life threatening in older people, this is of course something which we have to make sure is happening less and less.

Incorrect Footwear

Despite how simple it sounds, some 24% of slips and falls are down to people not wearing the correct footwear. Again it is the employer’s responsibility in the workplace to make sure that all staff are safe, and making sure that they have the correct equipment, including footwear, is critical to ensuring their safety. All footwear should protect the foot and provide enough traction to avoid slips and falls.

These are the most common causes and as you can clearly see, they are highly preventable.