As a small business owner, it is important that you (and your employees) take all reasonable steps to prevent the occurrence of a slip and fall accident on your business's property. What follows are some examples of common conditions that lead to slip and fall accidents indoors, and the rules regarding a business owner's duties with respect to those conditions.

Floors

It is expected that businesses will mop, wax, or polish their floors. Nonetheless, if a slip and fall accident occurs as the result of a wet floor, the business owner may be liable. Examples of conduct for which a business owner may be held responsible if a slip and fall accident results are:

• Failing to provide adequate warnings, such as signs, that the floor is being cleaned and is still wet or damp;
• Failing to provide adequate barriers to close off an area where there is a wet or damp floor;
• Using an excessive amount of wax or polish;
• Applying wax or polish unevenly;
• Treating a part of a floor and leaving a part untreated, so that the change in conditions causes a slip and fall;
• Applying a floor treatment to a sloping or inclining part of the floor;
• Failing to use a floor treatment with "non-skid" ingredients, when such treatment is required.

A business owner's (or employee's) neglect in properly maintaining carpeted floors, rugs, and mats can also create liability if a slip and fall accident occurs. Examples of such conditions that often lead to slip and fall accidents are:

• Torn, worn, or broken or bulging areas of carpet;
• Rugs or mats with curled edges, worn spots, or holes with edges sticking up;
• Items caught in the carpet material that stick up and catch on footwear.

Stairs

Stairs are often made of materials that become worn with continued use. Stair edges can become rounded and may cause people to slip when they step on them. A business owner will be liable for a slip and fall accident occurring on stairs when the owner knew of the dangerous condition, or the condition existed for sufficient time that the owner should have known about it. If the owner knew or should have known about a stairway condition, liability may arise when: