Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Many factors cause slip and fall accidents across the United States. It is important to know the most common causes and how to avoid them. Keep reading to learn how a personal injury attorney can help you get fair compensation if you are injured by a fall.
Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere and anytime. They have disastrous consequences that include a wide range of injuries or even death. But what causes these accidents, and how can you avoid them? This post discusses their leading causes, but if you still suffer injuries in a fall, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately.
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors often cause slip and fall injuries. For instance, poor lighting reduces someone’s ability to see potential hazards. Debris and substances on the floor also contribute to these accidents. All property and business owners should move all obstacles from walkways and use proper lighting in dark areas to avoid slip and fall accidents.
Unsafe Ladders and Stairs
Unsafe stair and ladder usage also cause slip and fall accidents. Having stairs without handrails or other dangerous defects exposes you to particularly serious slip and falls. Also, failing to secure ladders properly during use could cause these accidents. These falls typically cause serious injuries as they involve falling from a higher level.
Wet and Uneven Surfaces
Poor flooring conditions significantly contribute to slip and fall accidents. Some of the common conditions include:
- Uncleaned spills on floors;
- Recently polished or waxed floors;
- Uneven flooring;
- Worn or bulging carpets;
- Failing to post warning signs for wet floors.
Every property owner has a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors, including business owners. Workers must clear all spills from the floor immediately, remove snow and ice from walkways, and watch weather conditions to identify and prevent possible hazards. Failure to do so often results in a visitor’s injury.
Ignoring Safety Precautions and Practices
Ignoring recommended workplace safety practices regularly causes slip and fall accidents. Employees in all types of workplaces might slip and fall due to workplace hazards, so everyone in the workplace must abide by safety rules. Everyone should follow all safety standards related to their specific jobs and the general working environment to prevent falls.
Wrong Footwear
The National Floor Safety Institute estimates that improper footwear contributes to 24% of all slips and fall accidents. However, this doesn’t specifically mean that only high-heel wearers are at risk. Even some work boots and sneakers could lose traction and cause accidents. So, pay attention to your shoes if you want to increase protection for your personal safety.
Inadequate Safety Training
Slips and falls are common in different work environments, especially construction sites. Inadequate safety training commonly causes such accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health say that proper training significantly reduces slip and fall accidents.
All workers deserve adequate safety training when it comes to fall prevention and hazards. Employers should also provide their workers with the necessary tools and equipment to protect them from slips and falls. Otherwise, both workers and visitors can sustain serious injuries and losses from falls.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney for Help
Slip and fall accidents are common but preventable. If you or your loved one has fallen victim to a fall, you still have a fighting chance. You can seek compensation by enlisting an experienced personal injury attorney to help you seek fair compensation.
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