Most public buildings have at least one, and likely multiple, potential sources of slip-and-fall injuries.
In order to reduce the risk of falling, it is important to identify the potential factors that could lead to a trip-and-fall incident.
Slips on slick floors
The CDC discusses slips, trips and falls at businesses. These injuries often stem from avoidable hazards, most of which relate to the flooring and its condition.
Slips often happen on slick surfaces like tile, linoleum and hardwood. These accidents happen more often during inclement weather when people track rain, ice or snow into the store at the entrances and exits.
However, they can happen at any time, especially if people clean or polish the floors without having the proper signs necessary to alert other people to a potential slip hazard.
Tripping hazards exist everywhere
Trips often happen on carpeted or other textured floors. They may result from uneven flooring, sudden transitions from one type of flooring to another, or defects in the floor itself. For example, wooden floorboards often shrink and warp in size, becoming uneven over time. This can lead to a lot of issues with floor stability.
However, trips can also happen on any type of flooring if enough clutter exists. In places where it is difficult to see the floor due to the amount of clutter, people trip more often. People also tend to trip more often in stores or buildings with a lot of electrical wiring that is not properly secured.
These are all common issues that most people can identify and fix or avoid easily once they know what to look for.