In this time of social distancing, most businesses are working harder than ever to keep their workplaces safe and sanitary. Regular cleaning, mopping and wiping down of quarters can help businesses protect not only their employees, but also customers. However, when cleaning, you might expose patrons to one interesting hazard – fall risks. The good news is that your commercial general liability insurance might help with recovery costs when accidents happen. Take some time to learn more about the benefits of coverage.

General Liability Insurance

Liability insurance applies to the risk of harm that one party poses to another party. Everyone business has liabilities whenever they interact with other parties. It doesn't matter how safe they try to be. A commercial general liability policy can apply to the liability risks that a business poses. It can help the business compensate third parties for their losses if they were the business’s fault.

Coverage is a great benefit because it helps you avoid financial challenges arising from accidents in your business. In other words, if someone gets hurt because of an accident on your property, then they might demand compensation. Fighting the claim, settling in court and related expenses might cost the business an arm and a leg. By using your general liability policy, you’ll have a resource to cover your bottom line from such losses.

Still, just because you have liability insurance doesn’t mean you should not practice risk management. Even sanitizing the business can pose a risk of harm to clients. Therefore, you must take appropriate safety steps in the wake of these actions.

The Risks of Sanitizing Your Business

So, how does sanitizing your business lead to liability risks? Isn’t it supposed to make your business safer?

Of course, cleaning helps you eliminate germs, clear away dirt and grime and make your business more welcoming. But, nothing is foolproof.

When cleaning, you might use water, mops and other tools, and various solvents and cleaners. Each of these might prove harmful in their own ways. One of the most common threats that cleaning poses is the risk of a slip-and-fall injury.

A wet floor could easily cause someone to slip and fall. Mops, brooms or rags left lying around might also cause someone to trip and fall. And even though we think of solvents posing risks like poisonings or burns, they can also cause fall risks. Spilled bleach, for example, might prove slippery. Particularly strong chemicals might even make some people light-headed and cause them to lose their balance.

Your liability insurance can prove an asset when someone falls in your business. So, if someone slips on a freshly mopped floor, then this coverage might help you pay their medical costs and other settlements they request. If a lawsuit occurs, then coverage can also help cover your legal fees.

Minimizing Fall Risks

All the same, your goal should be to prevent fall risks as best you can. Cleaning the business means taking productive safety steps:

1. Clean either before opening or after closing. Cleaning during operations not only is hazardous but could also interrupt duties.
2. If you have to clean during business hours, always place Wet Floor signs and other warnings in areas that might pose fall risks. If necessary, post signs at your entrances warning customers that deep cleaning is in progress.
3. Put away all your cleaning materials when you finish the job. Often, it’s best to store them in a locked area that customers cannot access.

Should an accident occur, see to it that the harmed person gets help immediately. Also collect their contact information for insurance purposes. You might have to document this injury when it occurs to ensure you can respond later in case a liability claim occurs.

Also Read: How Long Do You Have to File a General Liability Claim?