California retail workers are used to being on their feet all day. Most retail jobs involve a lot of movement, such as walking around the store or up and down stairs, climbing, bending or stretching to reach something.
All this movement increases the chance of a slip and fall accident. The retail environment is often fast-paced, and retail workers typically work long hours. These are just some factors that can contribute to slip-and-fall accidents. Depending on the circumstances, these may lead to serious injury.
How slip-and-falls happen
Slip-and-fall accidents can occur in a variety of ways. Spills on the floor that are not cleaned up quickly enough, loose carpet or rugs and poorly maintained walking surfaces can make a person trip.
Additionally, you may have to navigate through poorly lit rooms filled with clutter to find inventory or merchandise, increasing the chance of tripping. Setting up displays or designs often requires the use of a ladder, and an improperly maintained ladder or lack of training can cause you to fall.
What you can do to stay safe
There are many things you can do to reduce your chance of a slip and fall accident at your retail job. Clean up spills as soon as you can after they occur or report them to your manager.
Wear proper footwear to reduce your chance of slipping or falling. Try to avoid clutter and keep walkways and small areas clear. Keep carpets and rugs properly maintained and make sure you know how to properly use a ladder.
While taking these precautions helps, sometimes accidents still happen. Your employer has a legal duty to provide you with a safe, hazard-free working environment. If you are injured from a slip, trip or fall while at work, it could be caused by your employer’s negligence.
It’s also important to remember that slip and trip hazards can be dangerous to customers as well as employees. Employers have duties to minimize the risks for both groups.
A personal injury action for negligence could help you recover compensation for any effects of your injury, such as medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. Experienced personal injury attorneys provide advice and help with creating a legal strategy to prove negligence.