What to Do if Someone Slips and Falls in Your Restaurant

Accidents happen all the time in restaurants. The floors are slippery from spilled drinks or food, and if not picked up in time, it could cause a bad injury. It’s crucial to take precautions when it comes to restaurant safety, but even those precautions aren’t always able to prevent an accident.

When opening your doors in the morning, be sure to have Wet Floor Signs ready and set up by areas where spills are common, especially near entryways and bathrooms where a lot of people pass. Ensure that your staff knows where the cleaning supplies such as mops and paper towels are in case of a spill.

If all else fails and someone slips and falls, however, it’s too late for preventative measures. You must take quick action to ensure everyone’s safety. If an employee witnesses the accident, they should take the first few initial steps and send someone to fetch a manager.

Help the fallen person and move them away from the accident area if possible. If they are in too much pain or unresponsive, call emergency services immediately.
Seek medical assistance immediately. Restaurants are required to carry a first aid kit, so make sure it is stocked with appropriate items and employees are trained in basic first aid.
Prevent others from walking through the incident area by having a Wet Floor Sign posted or have an employee stand guard and guide guests in another direction.
Document evidence of the incident. Speak with the guest and eyewitnesses and write down their personal information. If possible, take pictures of the incident area.
If emergency services are called, be sure to cooperate with medical and legal personnel and provide detailed information of the accident.

After making sure the victim is safe and has received the medical attention necessary, it’s important to notify your insurance company. Every restaurant should have general liability insurance as part of their restaurant insurance policy. General liability will provide compensation for bodily injury or property damage that occurs in the restaurant during the course of a normal workday. This may help prevent a lawsuit, but not always. A victim may decide that the compensation offered is not enough and choose to sue the restaurant. In this case, general liability also provides compensation to the business for legal fees. Medical bills and lawsuits are expensive and having a general liability policy before an accident occurs makes sure that your business won’t be financially hurt by such an accident.

Keep in mind that general liability insurance won’t cover most negligent acts. If a guest sues by claiming negligence on behalf of the company—such as failing to put up a Wet Floor Sign or leaving messes on the floor that caused the incident—general liability may not cover the costs. This is why it’s crucial to have a comprehensive restaurant insurance policy that also covers professional liability. Professional liability insurance covers incidents that arise due to mistakes on behalf of the business. It doesn’t cover false advertising, intentional actions or illegal activity, however. Also know that an insurance company may not provide coverage if the business is found guilty in court of the accused negligence.

Overall, preventative measures are the best way to handle accidents in restaurants. Slips can be especially dangerous in restaurants where hot food, forks and knives are present. Be sure that your staff is trained in basic first aid and knows what to do in case of an emergency to lessen the harm that may come due to an accident.

What to Do if Someone Slips and Falls in Your Restaurant

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