Wet Floor Safety: Frequently Asked Questions

Slips, trips, and falls in the workplace can be avoided by being proactive and taking certain measures such as ensuring good and timely housekeeping. Areas that are more likely to encounter wet floors, such as parking lots, food preparation and eating areas, etc., should be kept clean and maintained properly.

Any leaking equipment should be repaired on priority and spillages cleaned immediately. Employers should also use appropriate wet floor signs to alert employees and customers about potential hazards. Placing floor rugs, providing adequate lighting, and providing employees with slip-resistant footwear as necessary can also go a long way in preventing wet floor-related injuries.

It is the employer’s responsibility to provide their workers with a safe and healthy work environment, and no business would want to risk its reputation by letting a visitor/customer/employee get injured on their property because of negligence or failure to act in time. 

Wet floor hazards must be taken seriously as these are one of the leading causes of workplace slips, trips, and falls, which lead to 15% of all accidental deaths, according to the US Department of Labor. These cost the employer in terms of worker compensation claims, premises liability claims, absenteeism, costs related to training a replacement resource, and loss of work and productivity. According to OSHA, slip-and-fall accidents cost more than $11 billion annually, and over 540,000 such cases require some hospitalization every year.

The OSHA standard 1910.22 covers the general requirements around walking-working surfaces. It requires all the areas of employment to be maintained in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition, and the floors of workrooms to be kept clean and dry as far as possible and feasible. The standard further details the requirements specific to walking-working surfaces, loads, access and egress, and the need for regular inspection, maintenance, and repair.

Although 29 CFR 1910.22 does not explicitly mention wet floor signage, it is recommended to use caution wet floor signs to alert workers, customers, and visitors and prevent potential injuries. Using these signs can also act as a liability safeguard to some extent in the event of a workplace slip, trip, or fall due to wet/slippery floors. Wet floor signs indicate the employer’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy work environment for his employees. 

However, states and local jurisdictions may mandate the use of wet floor signs. For instance, wet floor signs are identified as a part of premises liability and duty to warn in Nevada. Please check with your local authority for more accurate and relevant information.