No one likes falling over in public, it’s not only terribly humiliating but if you take a dramatic fall, or you land in an awkward position, you could have more than the pain of embarrassment to deal with. Trips, slips and falls in public places are sadly, very common and they’re also one of the most common types of personal injuries people suffer from – you’ll find more info at personalinjury.com – and it’s easy to see why.
When you trip or slip in a public place and it wasn’t your fault, then it could mean that the owners of the building, the local council or management could have been negligent. You could be left with all kinds of injuries, ranging from broken bones and fractures to major head and back injuries. So, where do these accidents usually occur?
Read on to discover the places you’re more likely to slip and fall.
Sidewalks and roads
Walking along and minding your own business is all great until you suddenly catch your foot on an uneven paving stone or pothole – the next thing you know, you’re crashing forward onto the hard concrete ground. Or you’re taking your time walking along the snowy sidewalk and it hasn’t been gritted properly and you end up on your back, hitting your head on the sidewalk. Roads and sidewalks should be free of hazards and it’s the responsibility of local authorities to carry out maintenance and repair works when needed.
Stairs
Whether you’re using the stairs in a public building, or you’re at work in your office, heading up or down the stairs shouldn’t mean putting your life at risk. When stairwells aren’t properly lit, are uneven and slippery or the handrail is damaged, then trips and falls down the stairs are more likely to occur.
Construction sites
As you can imagine, construction sites are full of potential hazards. However, the site managers have to ensure everyone is doing their bit to provide a safe working environment, despite the hazards involved. Sadly, slipping and tripping over in construction sites is incredibly common, and usually the result of wires and cables obstructing walkways, debris, potholes, machinery and other equipment, causing major trip hazards. Workmen can also slip when the ground is icy and wet in poor weather conditions.
Restaurants and cafes
In the hospitality industry, it’s not just customers that are at risk, it’s also the staff. As you can imagine, spillages and wet floors are prevalent in places like restaurants, diners and bars – not just in the kitchen but the dining rooms and bathroom areas. Victims could also trip over debris and other objects on the ground.
Finally, offices
There’s very little that can compete with the humiliation of tripping over in front of all your work colleagues. Trips in the office are often the result of cables and wires stretching across walkways, bags and coats left in high-traffic areas, slips and falls due to spillages in kitchen and bathroom areas and even loose carpets!
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