FACTS
- Wet Floor Exposure: Spills from beverages, produce misting, melting ice, or cleaning leave slick surfaces that cause sudden loss of footing.
- Uneven Surfaces: Transition points between tile, mats, ramps, and loading areas create small height changes that trigger trips.
- Cluttered Aisles: Stock carts, boxes, pallets, and restocking activity narrow walkways and force awkward steps around obstacles.
- Poor Traction Footwear: Smooth or worn soles reduce grip on polished floors, especially in refrigerated or wet areas.
- Lighting Gaps: Burned-out bulbs or glare hide spills and floor defects, delaying hazard detection.
- Entrance Slush Zones: Rain, snow, and ice tracked indoors create high-risk slip areas near doors where moisture accumulates and refreezes.
STATS
- Slip, trip, and fall injuries account for about 27% of nonfatal injuries in U.S. retail trade workplaces, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- U.S. data show the median time away from work for same-level fall injuries is 14 days, indicating significant disruption even without height (BLS).
- In Canada, slips and falls represent roughly 20% of lost-time injury claims in retail and wholesale sectors (provincial WCBs; summarized by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety).
- Slips, trips, and falls caused over 240,000 nonfatal injuries requiring days away from work across US industries in 2024, with retail (including grocery) frequently cited for trip hazards from merchandise, spills, and uneven flooring.
- In Canada, slips, trips, and falls account for approximately 20% of workplace injuries in British Columbia (about 7,000 workers annually from 2020-2024), with retail and grocery sectors impacted by wet floors and clutter in high-traffic areas.
- In Western Canada, STF injuries cost businesses over $148 million annually in compensation and 440,000 lost workdays (2020-2024), with grocery stores seeing frequent claims from spills, leaks, and poor housekeeping.