Georgia General Liability Insurance: Avoid Falls, Avoid a Claim

If you are a business owner, you know there is a constant risk of injury whenever a customer enters your place of business. The main causes of injury to customers are trips and falls. In order to avoid a Georgia general liability insurance claim, follow these tips to minimize the risk of trips or falls for both your customers and your employees:

- Survey the area daily. Clean up common culprits such as wet or greasy floors, spills, torn carpeting, clutter, cables and wiring, or bad lighting.

- Display warning signs where necessary. For problems that cannot be fixed immediately, such as torn carpeting, hang warning signs in extremely visible areas. Display a “caution” sign until a spill can be cleaned.

- Maintain all floors and walkways. Dispose of debris immediately, and clean floors daily with recommended products. Outside, fill potholes, fix broken steps and clean parking lots.

- Install handrails along all stairs and in any areas with uneven flooring. Provide extra lighting in these areas.

- Train your employees in slip and fall safety, and be sure they know how to properly clean spills and respond to customer injuries.

- Require safe footwear. While you can’t control what your customers wear, you can enforce a dress code for your employees. Twenty-four percent of slips and falls are caused by incorrect footwear, so make sure everyone wears non-slip shoes.

Liability is an issue that impacts businesses of all types. Find the right Georgia general liability insurance policy for you and your business, and follow the tips above to avoid injuries in your place of business.