Walk into any grocery store in South Carolina on an average day, and you’ll see aisles filled with shoppers browsing products and filling their carts. What you won’t see are the dangers that can be lurking beneath your feet if you don’t pay attention. Spilled products in grocery stores pose a serious slip and fall hazard that can lead to painful and costly injuries for unsuspecting shoppers. 40% of nursing home admissions are caused by slips and falls, and falls are a leading cause of death in people aged 70+.
Common Causes of Spills
Spills in grocery stores have a variety of causes. Caps that aren’t properly secured on containers can leak onto shelves and the floor when knocked over. Overfilled containers and torn bags of items like flour, rice, or sugar can also spill their contents. Shoppers may knock items off shelves, especially on crowded weekends and holidays, leading to spills. Grocery carts can also snag shelves and cause products to fall. In addition, employees may drop produce and not clear the area properly.
Even small spills, like drips from the meat or produce section, can be hazardous if left unattended. And broken jars of sauces, condiments, and dressings can leave dangerously slippery puddles on the floor. Things like squashed fruit are also slippery, and can easily cause accidents.
High-Risk Areas for Slips
Certain areas of the store tend to be more prone to spills that can lead to falls. The produce section is a hot spot, as water from misters and ripe fruit get onto the floor. Dairy and frozen foods aisles are also an issue since items start melting soon after shoppers take them from the freezer.
Checkout areas in South Carolina grocery stores are also prime locations for spills. People waiting in line may fumble items or leave food wrappers and spilled drinks behind. The busyness around checkout makes it harder for staff to keep up with spills.
Changing Dangers Throughout the Day
The types of spills change over the course of a store’s operating hours. Early mornings see more frozen item drips, water from produce misters, and leaks from food deliveries being stocked. Mid-day and after school hours bring increased foot traffic, more items being handled and dropped, and checkout spills. Evening rush hour again drives up the potential for products to fall from carts and shelves.
Serious Injuries from Slips
Spilled products don’t just pose a messy nuisance—they actually cause hundreds of serious injuries to shoppers each year. People who slip on grocery store spills often cannot brace themselves as they fall, which frequently leads to head, hip, leg, and arm fractures. Head injuries in grocery stores can be especially dangerous given the hard floors.
A growing trend in South Carolina grocery store falls is shoulder injuries. As people try to hold onto carts when they slip, they can seriously damage their rotator cuff muscles. These injuries frequently require surgery and extensive physical therapy to regain mobility.
Legal Action for Injuries
Victims of grocery store slip and fall accidents may need to pursue legal action against the company to help cover their medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering damages.
Customers who slip on known hazards that weren’t cleaned up in a timely manner have a strong case, as stores have a responsibility to keep their premises reasonably safe. If you are injured in a grocery store spill, consult with a personal injury attorney from Monge & Associates to understand your legal options.
Preventing Grocery Store Spills
Grocery stores must be proactive to enhance safety through preventative measures and quick response to spills. Following best practices can help reduce the chance of injury:
- Place absorbent mats in high-risk areas like produce and frozen sections
- Frequently monitor and clean floors, especially during peak hours
- Use warning signage to immediately alert shoppers of wet areas
- Train staff to actively look for and clean spills right away
- Enforce policies about damaged product packaging at checkout
By making customer safety a priority and taking preventative action, grocery stores can better protect shoppers from the harm caused by dangerous spills. Staying alert, using caution, and reporting any spills you notice to staff can also keep you safer on your next shopping trip.
We have offices in 32 locations and 19 states, including South Carolina, Washington, and Alabama.
Call now for a free consultation on (888) 477-0597 if you have slipped and fallen in a South Carolina grocery store and suffered a painful injury as a result.