Even if you use food delivery services, you probably cannot avoid making occasional trips to the grocery store. This may be especially true if you love fruits and vegetables and want to pick out fresh produce yourself.
Grocery store owners have a duty to maintain a reasonably safe place for you to shop. If something becomes hazardous, they also have an obligation to warn you of the danger. Unfortunately, the produce section may be the most dangerous part of your favorite grocery store.
Dropped produce
Because of high water contents and waxy coatings, dropped produce may cause you to slip and fall. A fall on a hard concrete or tile floor may leave you with a variety of injuries, ranging from broken bones to brain damage. Consequently, a grocery store employee should scan the produce section for dropped produce and quickly remove it.
Spilled liquids
Many produce sections have salad bars where customers may pick up fresh juices, salad dressings and other items. If oily liquids from the salad bar spill onto the floor, you may slip. Other customers may also track spilled liquids into all parts of the store, potentially causing slip-and-fall hazards in unexpected places.
Produce misters
Grocery store owners use misters to make fruits and vegetables appear fresh and inviting. Because of the weight water adds to produce, misters may also increase profits. Not only may malfunctioning produce misters spray water onto the floor, but customers may also shake water loose. Either way, when reaching for an item, you may lose your footing.
While it may be difficult for employees in the produce section to remove all slip-and-fall hazards, they should have signage nearby. By simply watching for wet floor signs, you may decrease your chances of suffering a life-altering injury when buying fruits and vegetables.
