Stairs are a safety hazard. People who fall down stairs, trip on stairs, slip on stairs, can injure themselves badly.
While public liability insurance will mostly cover owners and occupiers for personal injury claims, these claims will still cause them great pain and inconvenience. Insurance premiums will rise, occupational health and safety alerts will be triggered, and several years will be spent in the whirlpool of legal proceedings.
Are there ways to reduce the risk that stairs represent to owners and occupiers of premises, particularly premises where the general public visits?
The answer is - yes - there are many ways to reduce risk. Good lighting on stairs is a top priority, up there with good stair rails and banisters, non-slip metal strips, signs, and keeping the stairs clear.
Can I give you an example? The NSW Court of Appeal has recently ruled in favour of the Bankstown RSL Club that the strip lighting on the stairs was adequate to make the stairs safe - and a personal injury claim for several hundred thousand dollars was rejected.
For more click below: