Wet floor is in the supermarket against the background of blurry products standing on the shelves

With business up and most people still preferring in-store shopping, store slip and fall accidents are a concern. To help prevent these accidents, Kaivac identifies the following slip and fall risks store managers should be aware of:

1. "Wet floor" Slip Resistance

Some hard surface floors may be slip-resistant when dry but become slippery when wet. Store managers should select floors that retain their resistance, dry and wet.

2. Surface Changes

Walking from one-floor type to another increases the chances of a slip and fall accident.

3. Floor Mats

Designed to help prevent accidents, mats that are loose, folded, lumpy, or have raised edges can be a significant risk factor.

4. Obstructions

Extension cords, hoses, boxes, or carts in walkways can make for an unsafe floor.

5. Visibility

Poor lighting, glare, shadows, or lights that are too bright can impede visibility.

6. Foreign Substances

Ice, grease and spills are significant contributors to hazardous floors. 

7. Inadequate floor cleaning procedures

Mopping can spread slippery oil, grease, and soils on floors and collect on mops and in mop water, making for very hazardous conditions. 

8. Level Changes

Unexpected slopes in the floor or raises of three steps, or less can contribute to accidents.

9. Distractions

Anything that distracts a shopper such as boxes on a walkway, food items on the floor, foul odors, mops or buckets, even floor ads have contributed to slip and fall accidents.