There are not many things that will affect a business as negatively as a customer suffering an injury on the premises, especially if it is a serious one that has long-lasting consequences.
Unsurprisingly, one of the most common causes of injuries in public places is through slips, falls and trips. These types of accidents can result in broken limbs, significant bruising or even head injuries.
It is essential that you do whatever it takes to minimise the risk of any injuries happening to your customers.
But what are the best ways to protect your clientele?
1. Educate yourself
Being aware of the most common causes of slips and trips and taking appropriate remedial action is the first step in preventing injuries.
Some of these factors may be completely outside your control – such as customers wearing inappropriate footwear, or elderly customers who lose their footing.
However common slip and fall risks which are within your control include:
- Poor lighting making it difficult for patrons to see where they are going.
- Uneven floor surfaces.
- Wet floors.
- Poorly marked stairs.
- Cables or cords trailing on floors.
- Boxes and other materials left on the floor.
- Inherently slippery surfaces.
- Uncleaned spills.
2. Ensure you meet floor safety standards with a slip test
Calling in the professionals to make an assessment of the slip and trip risks your customers face can also help to lower the chances of injuries happening.
By arranging floor slip testing, you will receive advice on a number of factors, including whether your flooring is made of a suitable material to suit your business conditions.
For example, a business which experiences a lot of wet foot traffic such as a swimming centre will have very different flooring needs from a fashion boutique located inside a shopping centre.
The floor testing services will also reveal whether the store fit-out is compliant with applicable Australian standards, and provide advice on what sort of cleaning methods should be employed to safeguard against slips and trips.
3. Keep it clean
Keeping a clean, organised work environment is essential in business for a whole raft of reasons – but is particularly important if you wish to secure the safety of your customers.
A floor which is cluttered with merchandise, or shelving which is overcrowded and lends itself to items easily falling off, are safety red flags.
Make sure that floors are regularly cleaned without leaving any sticky residue, and that spills are immediately and thoroughly dealt with. Adequate and easy to locate “wet floor” signage is also essential.
No one wants a customer hurt on their premises. These three strategies can help you prevent your customers from sustaining injuries from slip and fall accidents.
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