Any reputable business north of the Tropic of Cancer has some kind of measure in place to protect against liability for slip and fall injuries in the workplace. Slip and fall accidents make up more than 20 percent of workplace injuries and workers’ compensation claims in the United States, and account for the loss of 95 million workdays every year.
An employee injured due to a slip and fall accident can procure a hefty amount in a lawyer settlement, so business owners from the East Coast to Farmington, Utah are understandably eager to find a solution to the slip and fall problem.
One local Utah company thinks it has the answer.
Graymont, a global supplier of lime and limestone products, went against the corporate grain this past winter, declining to shovel company parking lots or pay for a snow removal surface. Normally, this kind of behavior would result in a number of slips, trips and falls — and subsequent notices from many an employee’s lawyer.
Instead, the company took a different approach to slip and fall liability. Instead of using road salt or shovels, Graymont chose to supply each of its workers with a brand-new pair of Yaktrax.
Yaktrax traction cleats are commonly used by hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts outside of Farmington to make walking on packed snow or ice a little easier. Outfitted with abrasion-resistant steel coils and rubber, the all-terrain shoes provide 360 degrees of traction on cold surfaces for greater stability and overall walking ability.
By providing this cold-weather-specific footwear, Graymont reasons, the company has all its bases covered when it comes to slip and fall liability. Apparently, hiking shoes named after exceedingly large mammals constitute a reasonable accommodation for limestone employees.
From Farmington to the American South, businesses have all manners of ways of getting out of slip and fall liability and avoiding an altercation with an employee’s lawyer. However, we have to say this one of the more creative solutions. For slip and fall protection with style, Graymont’s got you covered.