When it rains outside, it’s normal for the ground to get slick and for certain areas of properties to be a little less safe than usual. However, despite the rain, it’s still important for property owners to make sure that those visiting them are unlikely to get hurt.
They can do this in all kinds of ways, such as by adding tread to outdoor stairs, putting down gravel rather than slick walkways or adding texture to the ground around pools. Essentially, anything that adds friction to the ground can make it much safer for people to walk around a property.
Outdoor stairs pose a real hazard during rainstorms
Outdoor staircases are particularly hazardous during rainstorms. That’s why it’s important for property owners to add tread or to install the kinds of stairs that are less likely to be slick.
Wooden stairs may become slick when wet (especially when moss, algae or dirt collects on them) and even metal stairs may become slicker than normal if they don’t have a sprayed layer of tread on them. For that reason, property owners should always have handrails installed. People using the stairs should use the handrails, too.
Of course, a handrail won’t prevent every kind of fall. If a person’s feet go out from under them because the appropriate tread or other protective measures haven’t been put in place, then they may have a case against the property owner.
Any surface needs to have the right tread to prevent falls
While it would be nice if every person who came onto a property wore shoes with good tread, the reality is that they may be in all kinds of footwear (or even none at all). Making sure that walkways and tile around pools have good tread can help prevent falls regardless of what visitors are wearing, or not wearing, on their feet.
Property owners need to do their best to maintain their properties and keep them safe. If they don’t do the bare minimum to prevent falls, then it may be possible to pursue a premises liability case against them.
