Own a Retail Store with Stairs? Prevent a Lawsuit by Preventing Falls

Owning a retail store for the first time comes with many benefits. You can work for yourself, you can meet many great people, and if you're selling the right product, you can make a decent living. However, it's extremely important to take the proper measures to ensure that your customers don't get hurt. This is especially true if you have stairs in your establishment.

While you have likely gone the extra mile to make sure that your customers are safe, it doesn't hurt to go above and beyond the extra mile. In doing so, you'll not only keep your customers safe, but you may keep yourself out of court, as well. To help prevent people from falling on the stairs in your business, here are some precautions to take.

Add Traction to the Steps

Glue some thin rubber mats to each stair. Because aesthetics are important to you, cut the matting into strips and glue them to each stair on the tip only. Doing so allows the beauty of the stairs to still show through while still keeping your customers safe.

Place the Right Rugs at the Top and Bottom

Since you never know what the weather is going to bring, place a rug at the top and the bottom of the stairs. The rugs should be manufactured specifically for use in slippery areas, so choose a rug that has a rubber bottom, such as a doormat.

Keep in mind that the busier your business becomes, the more often you'll need to replace these rugs. They should also be cleaned either in your washing machine or by the dry cleaners once a week, or maybe every two weeks.

Invest In Some "Wet Floor" Signs

Purchase various signs to alert people to their own need to be careful. You can obtain some standing "wet floor" signs to place in the areas that usually get wet when it rains, such as doorways or main walkways at the interior front end of the store.

You can purchase other signs as well. For instance, contract with a sign maker to create signs to place at the top and bottom of the stairs, asking customers to hold onto the rails as they're walking up and down. The signs can go a long way in preventing accidents, and can even help defend you in court should the need arise.

Even though not all accidents can be prevented, you could stand a better chance at winning your case, should an accident occur, if you take the proper steps ahead of time and do everything you possibly can to prevent one. Ask a personal injury attorney, such as Steven J Glaser, Atty, about other ways that you can keep your customers safe to prevent undue hardship to them and lawsuits aimed at you and your business.