Avoiding the $10 Million Workers’ Comp Accident

How do drivers, fleets, and customers avoid the dreaded “slip and fall” accident”? A minute of forethought and a culture of not accepting unsafe conditions will go a long way to reducing Workers’ Comp claims. Colorado’s Supreme Court upheld a $10 million dollar slip-and-fall award to a trucker who fell in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Greeley, CO. Like most “accidents,” it was utterly preventable (which is a true shame because the driver’s had three spinal surgeries and half a million dollars in medical bills since the fall).

If you read the article, you’ll hear that the Wal-Mart let their deli’s grease trap overflow for SEVEN DAYS (ew, gross), which caused a grease slick in the parking lot. That’s pretty much the story right there. So what could’ve been done differently?

• The store manager or deli manager could’ve walked the grounds of their store. If they’d noticed it, presumably they’d delegate someone to fix the issue. Lesson: You need to put eyes on the ground if you’re responsible.
• An employee must’ve certainly noticed, yet no one was motivated to say anything or fix it. Lesson: A culture of safety makes it OK to report problems.
• The driver could’ve walked the area before trying to carry a load in, and hopefully would’ve noticed the problem, reported it, and found an alternate route into the store. Lesson: Especially in an ever-changing landscape like a parking lot or loading dock, pre-walking the route once helps you find and work around problems.