Wet floors may pose a slipping hazard at commercial premises, such as shops, supermarkets, bars and restaurants, as well as at other premises visited by the public, including schools, swimming pools and hospitals. The owners and occupiers of these premises have a duty to ensure that their property is well maintained, and free from defects which may cause accidents involving visitors. A damp floor represents a potential hazard, and for legal purposes, it is reasonably foreseeable that a person may slip on it and injure themselves. Ultimately there is no reason why lawful visitors to commercial and public premises should be exposed to the kind of risk. Cleaning staff must make sure that floors are properly dried, and where this is not immediately possible, measures must be taken to cordon off the area and warn visitors of the danger.
Slips on wet flooring in supermarkets are relatively common, due to the volume of customers that pass through their doors each day, and the amount of product spillages and subsequent cleaning that takes place. Supermarket managers have a duty to devise and implement an effective system of inspection and cleaning in public areas. When a slipping hazard is identified, such as a spilled carton of milk, it should be cleaned up immediately. Where it is not possible to deal with a hazard of this kind straight away, warning signs should be posted and barriers erected to prevent visitors from walking on the slippery surface. Cleaning staff must also ensure that they dry floor surfaces properly following cleaning, and do not leave them in a slippery state. This is particularly important in toilet and bathroom areas, which are normally cleaned at regular intervals throughout the day.
In the workplace, slips and trips cause more major accidents than anything else, and a high proportion of these are slips of wet floors. Employers face the same responsibilities as the owners and occupiers of commercial premises, in that they must take all reasonable measures to reduce the risk of such accidents occurring to the absolute minimum. Floors may be wet due to spilled drinks, recent cleaning, or when it is raining or snowing, and water or slush is trampled indoors by visitors. Normally, routine cleaning of the workplace should be finished by the time employees arrive for the day. In busy working environments however, cleaning staff may be required to work to a schedule covering the whole day, and this kind of system increases the risk of workers and other visitors to the premises slipping of wet floors.
Both members of the public and employees may seek to claim compensation, if they slip on a wet floor at a commercial premises or in the workplace. Bruises, lacerations, strains and sprains are the most regular injury types following slips on slippery flooring, though injuries can also be more severe and debilitating. A badly broken ankle for example may involve months of immobility, the surgical insertion of plates and pins into the joint, and an extended period of time off work. Slipping accidents can have similarly serious consequences if a person strikes their head in a fall. Whatever the circumstances, where a person slips and injures themselves on another party's premises, they may be able to claim compensation, usually on a no win no fee basis, and it is always wise to seek specialist legal advice to investigate the possibility.
Harry Marldon says that if you have slipped on wet floor injuring yourself you could claim compensation. Slipping on a wet floor can lead to serious personal injury.
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