Whether you are a property owner or you work regularly in a property in New Jersey, you have surely seen the occasional slip, trip and fall hazard. You can have the most immaculate and well-maintained building, and still, occasional spills or dropped objects can constitute hazards.
The thing is that it is not all black-and-white. Every premise can be rated along a sliding scale of slip-and-fall hazards, but these are almost all preventable.
Wet and slippery surfaces
Grainger states that even if you plan to clean up a spill right away, it could be only moments before someone comes rushing through and slips. In areas where this is most likely, it is a good idea to have skid-proof tape or a moisture-absorbent beveled mat to make sudden spills less dangerous.
And of course, even with these extra safety measures, you should always clean up any messes immediately, and mark the freshly-mopped zone with a “Wet Floor” sign.
Clutter and obstacles
Even an open file cabinet drawer, a simple box or an unattended briefcase can cause somebody to trip and fall. An unsecured cable or cord is one of the more common obstacles in hallways. While you can take steps to avoid creating these obstacles yourself, it is also a good idea for somebody to regularly inspect the entire premises and remove any such obstacles when possible.
Creating a good housekeeping procedure
Even if your place of work or business is not known for its cleanliness and organization, it is never too late to start. If you just include housekeeping procedures as a part of everyone’s daily routine, it won’t feel like much extra work at all. Consistency is key, so if you missed something in your cleaning schedule, include it in the chart for subsequent inspections.