Winter Whirlwind Could Bring Increased Slip-and-Fall Hazards

A potential La Ni?a event could soon bring wetter weather to parts of the northern U.S. and Canada, the Associated Press recently reported, which goes hand-in-hand with risks for potentially dangerous and costly slip-and-fall incidents.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center indicated that there was a 60% chance that a weak La Ni?a event would develop and possibly last until March. The news appears consistent with the Farmers’ Almanac’s latest winter weather forecast, which predicts a “wet winter whirlwind” season featuring rapid-fire storms with rain and snow and little downtime in between.

Businesses should be prepared, as slip-and-fall accidents lead to numerous injuries — and lawsuits — each year, said Saad Ali , Associate Broking Commercial Manager, Commercial Insurance, Ontario Division, Burns & Wilcox , Ottawa, Ontario.

“With winter around the corner, slip and falls are always a concern — not only for individuals but for business and property owners, as well,” Ali said. “It is important for anyone who owns a business or property to ensure they have adequate Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance coverage in place, which could cover for incidents that can occur on owned or leased property, as well as defense costs, which can become exuberantly expensive if uninsured.”

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