Accidents Happen – Manage the Risk
You have heard it often… from attorneys, insurance carriers, and risk managers… accidents happen. And, as property owners and managers, we know that we are liable for those things that we have a “reasonable expectation” of knowing may be a hazard.
Hazardous conditions exist during all seasons. And we often have no control over when these conditions will occur! A wet, smooth surface can act as if it were ice covered and slippery. Ice and snow are a fact of life in many regions, and constantly pose problems for maintaining safe conditions. These scenarios spell trouble for employees, as well as customers, who expect safe conditions as they enter and exit your business/property... from walking to driving; on sidewalks, entryways, parking lots, driveways, and loading docks.
Solutions
What is the underlying cause of slip/fall/skid accidents in hazardous conditions? Loss of traction. Solution – remove the hazard and increase traction. One scenario is to have a large enough maintenance staff dedicated to watching for any occurrence that may result in an accident, 24/7/365; drying wet surfaces, removing ice as soon as it forms, shoveling snow as fast as it falls, etc. The problem is that it would take a lot of workers a lot of time to keep up with every single hazard, and a lot of money as well. It is just not realistic!
Accidents do happen, but there are cost-effective proactive products available to reduce the potential for slip/fall/skid incidents.