New York has some wonderful places to spend an afternoon shopping for couture apparel and lavish home furnishings. Still, because the city is a crowded place, businesses must compete for discerning shoppers. This often requires creating polished and modern showrooms.
Few other natural stones are more elegant than marble. Nevertheless, if a business uses highly polished marble for flooring or any other slippery tile, you may have an increased risk of suffering a catastrophic injury in a slip-and-fall accident.
How slippery is too slippery to be safe?
According to the Learning Center at BuildDirect, floor tiles come with a skid resistance rating. A tile’s rating falls somewhere on a sliding scale, which includes three levels:
- Slip-resistant, when the tile has a coefficient of friction at or above 0.60
- Conditionally slip-resistant, when the tile has a coefficient of friction between 0.50 and 0.59
- Questionable, when the tile has a coefficient of friction below 0.50
If tiles are conditionally slip-resistant or questionable, they typically work better on walls or ceilings than they do on floors. After all, it can be dangerous for individuals to walk on slippery surfaces even under ideal conditions.
How do store owners protect you?
When designing their showrooms and other public spaces, business owners should consider the slipperiness of their flooring. Simply opting for less slippery tile may keep you safe. If a business owner wants to use a slippery tile, though, he or she should use low-pile rugs or other floor coverings to protect you. Also, someone at the store should mop up spilled liquids immediately.
Ultimately, if you suffer a serious injury after slipping on a slippery floor, you may have grounds to pursue significant financial compensation from the business owner.