Dangerous conditions create high-risk environments for business owners. When an unsafe condition exists, it is essential to take immediate steps to correct it. Leaving it, even for a moment, puts other people at risk. It also increases the likelihood you will need to file a business insurance claim. To avoid this, learn how to train employees to react. Here’s some insight.

Why You Can’t Walk Away

As your employee walks through an aisle of your retail location, he notices a broken jar on the floor. He walks away to find a mop. Yet, by the time he comes back, someone slipped and now has a liability claim to file. This is one of the most common scenarios of bodily injury liabilities in businesses today. Most often, people would not think anything is wrong here. The problem is that the employee left the unsafe condition – even if just for a moment – creating risk.

What should happen in a situation like this? Rather than walk away, the employee needs to call for help. Staying in a position like this ensures he can warn others about the unsafe condition, minimizing liability risks.

How to Train Employees to Improve Unsafe Conditions

Sometimes, the risks are easy to fix on the spot. For example, if a mat’s curled edge presents a tripping hazard, it’s easy enough to unroll that immediately. Yet, you have to teach employees to see something and to react to it immediately. Here are a few tips:

• If possible, correct the problem immediately before walking away from it.
• Learn to spot potential risks on an ongoing basis. That means someone needs to always watch what’s happening around them on the job site instead of looking at phones or other workers.
• If the problem needs more help than they can offer, they should remain at the location. Then, call for help.
• For large-scale problems, the employee should limit customer access to the area.
• Placing warning signs, such as wet floor signs, in the area can help as well. Your business should always have these items on the premises.

Ice on walkways, wet floors by bathroom sinks, or areas where there’s a spill are all key things to be on the lookout for throughout any location. Your goal is to keep customers (and employees) safe. To do that, you need to keep surfaces clear and dry. Teaching your employees to react is a must. It can help you avoid costly business insurance claims for liability claims while also keeping your location safe.