Whether you prefer a nationwide chain or your neighborhood market, staying away from the grocery store is virtually impossible. When you shop for essential items, you expect employees at the store to keep you safe by quickly clearing away spilled liquids and other slip-and-fall hazards.
Some parts of the grocery store are naturally more dangerous than others. For example, you may have a greater chance of slipping, tripping or falling in the fresh produce section than anywhere else inside the store.
Misters
Grocery stores often have misters that spray small amounts of water onto fresh produce. While this process may make you pay more than you should for fruits and vegetables, it may also cause you to slip and fall. That is, water from a defective mister may spray directly onto the floor. If customers shake produce to reduce its weight, water may also accumulate underfoot.
Fruits and vegetables
Customers often pick through produce to make their selections. Because fruits and vegetables have high water contents, a dropped one may put you at risk of a slip and fall. Small produce that detaches easily, such as grapes or cherry tomatoes, may be particularly dangerous.
Flowers
Many grocers place flowers in or near the fresh produce department. To remain viable, these flowers often must sit in buckets of water. If one of these containers leaks, you may inadvertently slip and fall. The same may be true if an employee overwaters the floral display.
Ultimately, it is up to employees at the store to remove slip-and-fall hazards in the fresh produce department. If someone at the grocery store neglects this responsibility, you may be eligible for financial compensation for any injuries you sustain.
