As a business owner, you assume financial and legal liability in keeping customers safe, and having commercial insurance to cover expenses related to customer injuries is one easy way to safeguard your company. Protect yourself and your company by learning about six types of customer injuries that occur at businesses.
1. Slips, Trips and Falls
Slip and fall accidents are among the most common mishaps that befall customers at businesses. Customers can easily slip and fall on wet floors.
They can also trip and fall on floor mats, objects on the floor, and even over other people who bump into them. Slip and fall accidents can result in people suffering injuries like herniated discs and broken bones.
They often result in costly medical bills. You can mitigate your financial risk from them by shopping for and buying commercial insurance through a carrier.
2. Burns
If you run a restaurant, deli, or other food-based business, you could put customers at risk of burns. Customers can burn their mouths and tongues on hot food.
They can also burn themselves by spilling hot liquids on themselves or touching hot plates or utensils. Even if they are responsible for burning themselves, they could still take legal action against you.
3. Cuts and Lacerations
Customers can also suffer cuts and lacerations from sharp utensils, broken glass, or other sharp objects. They can also come into contact with machinery that can inflict these types of injuries. Minimizing these injuries calls for you to have safeguards in place to keep customers away from equipment and items that can harm them.
4. Impact Injuries
Businesses like big box or warehouse stores can pose a serious hazard to people. Customers shopping and not paying attention to what is going on around them could wander into areas where your crew is working.
They can sustain injuries from objects falling on them. Customers can also sustain injuries in the parking lot if a vehicle or equipment crashes into them.
5. Sprains and Strains
Sprains and muscle strains occur when customers make sudden movements or stand in awkward poses. They can also injure themselves from overexertion, such as trying to lift a heavy object into their carts.
These injuries include pulled muscles in the shoulder, leg, or back or a sprained ankle or hand. Depending on the circumstances, you could bear some of the legal and financial responsibility for the customer’s injury.
6. Electrocution
Finally, customers can suffer electric shocks from faulty wiring, exposed electrical components, or malfunctioning equipment. Electrocution can result in serious injuries or the death of a customer.
You can mitigate this serious risk by keeping your machinery and equipment in good condition. You should also hire an electrician to repair faulty outlets, replace damaged wiring, or cover exposed electrical components. Having your electrical system in your business professionally inspected and maintained at least once a year also lowers the risk of electrocution.
These six common injuries can happen to customers who visit your business. You can lower the risk of them occurring with professional services like maintenance and repairs. You can also offset your liability by shopping for and buying the best business insurance.