Tort cases occur because of slip, trip, and fall accidents in private properties, commercial establishments, and industrial complexes. Property owners may be held liable under three tort types: strict liability, negligence, and intentional tort.
When found guilty, the property owner may be ordered to pay the victim compensation or monetary damages for the injuries that the latter has suffered.
Some instances with poorly maintained or improperly installed pavers cause slip and trip (or even fall) accidents. Some online resources offer helpful information on the proper paver installation or concrete paving. Nonetheless, some property owners fail to ensure their guests’ or workers’ safety by ensuring even pavements that do not cause accidental slippage or tripping.
As a property owner, here are five ways you can avoid any tort liability caused by a slip, trip, and fall accident inside your premises:
Mind your clutter
Whether it’s inside or outside of your building or property, you should dispose of clutter properly. Doing this can avoid accidents that could lead to a tort case being filed against you. Your hallways, walkways, ramps, common areas, and everywhere else should be free from hazards such as unnecessary clutter to keep everyone safe from injuries.
Keep your floors spill-free
Spills cannot be avoided, but they should be addressed immediately. As such, make sure that any spillage on your floors will be quickly wiped away. While doing so, use a Wet Floor warning signage to warn others of a slip hazard. This signage can inform your guests and other people to avoid the area while it’s being cleaned.
Secure your carpets and rugs
If your floor has area rugs or carpets that are not secured, you’re inviting a tort case to occur in your building or property. Secure mats and rugs on the floor so they won’t move with feet traffic and avoid causing accidental slips.
Address fall hazards
Falls can occur in a variety of ways. First, there is the typical fall from height. Second, falling into a hole or opening in the ground can happen; third, fall on a floor level can occur due to clutters.
The remedy to such hazards is to eliminate them at once and immediately. For holes and openings, the solution is to plug them. For fall on the same level, remove clutters in the area. And for fall from a height, order people to wear safety harnesses, or ensure that ladders or platforms are secured and immobile.
Ensure excellent paving and proper construction of ramps, curbs, and walkways
It would help if you minded how your pavements are constructed and maintained. Also, see to it that access ramps and sidewalks are not hazardous.
Such would entail, among other things, painting curbs with traffic yellow, constructing PWD ramps with handrails, and constructing and maintaining pavers. Paved surfaces, whether using poured concrete or pavers, should be top-notch. This is to ensure that they don’t pose any hazard to workers, clients, family members, and guests.
With these five tricks, you should keep your property free from slip, trip, and fall hazards and avoid tort cases.