Thousands of Mississippi residents are involved in slip-and-fall accidents each year, and many of them are injured while shopping in supermarkets or convenience stores. Retailers are expected to do all that they reasonably can to keep customers safe, but preventing all accidents is all but impossible in stores that stock thousands of products and are often packed with people. The most common causes of slip-and-fall injuries in supermarkets and convenience stores are spilled liquids, poor lighting and uneven or damaged floor surfaces.
Spilled liquids
Liquid spills are so common in supermarkets and convenience stores because there are so many things that can cause them. Puddles and leaks may be traced to soda machines or the pipes that supply water to produce misters, or they can be caused by shoppers who drop bottles or jars containing oil or liquid. Even small amounts of liquid or oil can make a tiled floor treacherous, which is why supermarkets and convenience stores that want to avoid Premises liability claims train their staff to look out for spills and dispatch cleaning crews quickly.
Poor lighting and uneven floors
Supermarkets and convenience stores have more foot traffic than most other retail establishments, and that means their floors wear out more quickly. Shoppers scanning store shelves may not notice uneven or damaged floor tiles, which is why failing to repair or replace damaged supermarket floors can lead to accidents and lawsuits. Supermarkets and convenience stores tend to be brightly lit to make it easier for shoppers to find the products they want. When they are not, spills and uneven floors are even more likely to cause slip-and-fall accidents.
Preventing slip-and-fall accidents
Heavy foot traffic, leaking soda machines or misting systems and thousands of glass bottles and jars containing oil or liquid can all make shopping for food far more hazardous, but there are steps that store operators can take to prevent accidents. These steps include repairing or replacing damaged floor tiles, cleaning up spills quickly and placing warning signs in areas that have recently been mopped.