{"id":33,"date":"2011-07-07T02:44:50","date_gmt":"2011-07-07T02:44:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eaglemat.com\/blog\/?p=33"},"modified":"2014-01-08T20:13:59","modified_gmt":"2014-01-08T20:13:59","slug":"preventing-slip-and-fall-accidents-with-floor-mats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eaglemat.com\/blog\/preventing-slip-and-fall-accidents-with-floor-mats\/","title":{"rendered":"Preventing Slip-and-Fall Accidents with Floor Mats"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Preventing<\/a>Over 1 million individuals suffer from a slip-and-fall related injury each year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (i).\u00a0 The question of liability<\/em> is raised continually, with injured Plaintiffs demanding settlements from property owners to compensate them for hospital bills, pain, and suffering.\u00a0 The numbers can climb to alarmingly high sums, prompting property owners to install floor mats<\/a>, warning signs, and other devices to prevent slip-and-fall accidents before they occur.<\/p>\n

Assigning Liability in Slip-and-Fall Cases<\/h2>\n

In general, liability is the legal responsibility for an individual\u2019s or entity\u2019s acts or omissions (ii).\u00a0 It is important to note that liability refers to both acts as well as omissions, meaning that an individual may be responsible for failing<\/em> to perform a duty.<\/p>\n

Determining who is liable for an accident may be a complex affair.\u00a0 Many variables contribute to assigning responsibility, and those variables often sort successful settlements from unsuccessful or dismissed cases.\u00a0 There are 3 general tests to determine if a property owner is liable for the injury of a 3rd<\/sup> party Plaintiff.\u00a0 Only 1 of the following 3 conditions need be true in order to confer liability onto a property owner (iii):<\/p>\n

1) The property owner, or one of her agents, caused the condition that caused the slip-and-fall accident.\u00a0 This includes spills, slippery floor surfaces, and torn carpeting.<\/p>\n

2) The property owner, or one of her employees, knew about the condition that caused the accident but did nothing about it.\u00a0 This is an example of an omission<\/em>, or failure to act, that may trigger liability.<\/p>\n

3) The property owner, or one of her employees, should have known<\/em> about the condition that caused the accident.\u00a0 This is determined by a standard of reason<\/em>.<\/p>\n

More on the Standard of Reason:\u00a0 The standard of reason <\/em>is a subjective test that judges and juries use to ask whether a \u201creasonable\u201d person, under similar conditions, should have known about the condition that led to the accident.\u00a0 If the judge or jury determine that the answer is \u201cYes,\u201d and a reasonable person would have known about the condition, then the property owner is deemed liable.<\/p>\n

Commercial Floor Mats:\u00a0 Preventing Accidents Before They Occur<\/h2>\n

The task of creating and maintaining a safe environment is ongoing.\u00a0 Property managers and business owners are smart to focus on the 3 aforementioned areas of responsibility to proactively minimize their potential for liability:<\/p>\n

Problem: <\/strong>Causing Spills.\u00a0 The best way to minimize liability for a spill or slippery condition you create is to clean it promptly.\u00a0 Of course, this chore may be difficult to keep up with during peak business hours.\u00a0 What\u2019s more, property owners usually rely on employees or other agents to handle this task, diffusing responsibility and creating the potential for accumulating spills and dangerous conditions.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong> Rubber Kitchen Mats<\/a> and Runners may be used to line areas behind bars, along food service stations, and in other areas where liquids are actively used.\u00a0 Many of these floor mats and runners have raised surfaces with holes to facilitate water drainage and spill control.<\/p>\n

Problem:<\/strong> Failing to act.\u00a0 Failure to take corrective action occurs often as business owners and managers strive to allocate limited amounts of time to an array of different tasks.\u00a0 Consider:\u00a0 A manager notices a puddle of water just inside the facility entryway.\u00a0 She seeks a janitor to clean the space immediately, however, she first becomes distracted by an urgent phone call.\u00a0 By the time the call has ended, the manager has forgotten about the puddle and has become liable by omission of action. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Solution: <\/strong>Entrance Mats<\/a>, Logo Mats<\/a>, and Recessed Mats<\/a> are ideal installations for lobbies and other entryways that are prone to dirt and moisture accumulation.\u00a0 Installing these items reduces the likelihood that a dangerous condition will be created over the course of a normal business day.\u00a0 Wet Umbrella Bag Stands<\/a> are particularly effective in these areas as well, giving guests the opportunity to \u201cbag\u201d their wet umbrella before it tracks rain water throughout the building.<\/p>\n

Problem:<\/strong> Failing to prevent a dangerous condition that you should have known<\/em> about.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong> Unfortunately, it is impossible to perceive and diffuse every possible area of liability before it arises.\u00a0 However, business owners, managers, and employees may work together to pool individual perspectives on daily operations and brainstorm areas of potential liability.<\/p>\n

Commercial Matting Services<\/h2>\n

Remember:\u00a0 it is the responsibility of the property owners to both create and maintain<\/strong> a safe environment for guests.\u00a0 Commercial floor mat<\/a> installation is a vital first step in controlling debris and preventing the development of dangerous conditions.\u00a0 However, floor mats<\/a> must be laundered regularly to remove the dirt and moisture they accumulate.\u00a0 Failure to do so creates a floor mat that loses its ability to clean and trap debris, consequently reducing effectiveness and liability prevention.<\/p>\n

Eagle Mat and Floor Products<\/strong> is proud to offer floor mat rental and cleaning<\/a> services to businesses within the following areas:<\/p>\n