5 Wet-Floor Hazards To Watch For While Grocery Shopping

Whether you are running a quick errand or stocking up on needed supplies, the last thing on your mind at the grocery store may be the risk of injury.

However, the hard, naturally slick commercial flooring in many stores can become a serious slip-and-fall hazard when owners and/or staff fail to keep aisles clean and dry.

1. Food and liquid spills

In addition to watching out for spilled drinks and broken products, make sure to be careful in the produce section, where fresh fruits and vegetables that have fallen to the floor can be easy to miss.

2. Overreaching produce misters

While misters keep produce fresh, too much water can lead to excess moisture building up on floors. Many stores use rubber floor mats in produce aisles to prevent misters from creating a hazard.

3. Malfunctioning refrigeration equipment

Whether due to a power failure or poorly maintained equipment, faulty refrigerators and freezers can lead to both minor and major leaks.

4. Tracked rain and mud

Without proper floor mats and regular monitoring, entryways can easily become slippery with rain, mud or other debris that customers have tracked in.

5. Freshly washed floors

An employee may neglect to clean up standing water after mopping or else fail to leave a sign letting customers know flooring is wet.

From fractured or broken bones to nerve, spinal or brain damage, even a “simple” slip-and-fall incident may lead to a long recovery and overwhelming medical bills. If a store owner or employee should have been aware of the risk but failed to act, you may be able to seek needed compensation under the law.