Root Causes of Slip-and-Fall Claims in Hospitality and How to Eliminate Them

Slip-and-fall claims are one of the highest-cost, highest-frequency liability risks for restaurants, bars, hotels and other hospitality properties across the United States. In hospitality-heavy markets like New York City, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago, a single severe claim can cost tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, defense and settlement. The good news: most root causes are identifiable and fixable through targeted engineering, policies, training and documented maintenance.

Why hospitality is uniquely vulnerable

• High foot traffic and rapid customer turnover increase exposure.
• Wet conditions (entrances, pools, bathrooms, kitchens) are common.
• Frequent changes in staff and flexible layouts create inconsistent housekeeping.
• Guests are unfamiliar with the property and less likely to notice hazards.

Key statistics:

• Falls among older adults alone cost the U.S. health system $50 billion in 2015 (CDC). Source: https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html
• The National Floor Safety Institute highlights that slips, trips and falls are a leading source of premises-liability claims for businesses. Source: https://nfsi.org/

Primary root causes and elimination strategies

1) Wet, contaminated or improperly finished floors

Root cause:

• Rain, tracked-in water, spilled drinks, pool decks and kitchen grease reduce friction.
  How to eliminate:
• Install high-traction flooring in customer areas and slip-resistant finishes in kitchens.
• Use entrance matting systems sized to capture moisture for at least two steps inside the door.
• Deploy immediate spill-response protocols (see housekeeping below).
• Consider professional anti-slip treatments in high-risk areas.

Products & pricing (examples):

• Commercial entrance mat programs (Cintas) — rental programs for restaurants/hotels; program costs vary by mat selection and frequency but commonly start in the range of $5–$20 per week per mat depending on contract and region. Source: https://www.cintas.com/facility-services/mats/
• 3M Safety-Walk anti-slip products for stair nosing and walkways; retail sacrificial tape/strips often retail from about $20–$50 per roll/strip depending on size. Source: https://www.3m.com/

2) Weather and exterior drainage issues

Root cause:

• Poor drainage at entrances, puddling on sidewalks and snow/ice accumulation at curb lines.
  How to eliminate:
• Maintain proper grading and sloping at entrances.
• Install covered doorways or vestibules in high-precipitation climates (e.g., Seattle, Portland, Boston).
• Implement a documented winter-weather protocol including salt/sanding, waterproof mats, and outdoor signage.
• Assign outdoor patrols during storms to clear walkways and document conditions.

Internal resource: Weather Protocols, Matting and Outdoor Maintenance to Prevent Customer Injuries

3) Poor housekeeping, delayed spill response and staffing gaps

Root cause:

• Slow response to spills, cluttered walkways, stacked boxes, and inconsistent floor-cleaning routines.
  How to eliminate:
• Create and enforce formal spill-response SOPs with time-to-response goals (e.g., 2 minutes).
• Train staff on immediate hazard remediation and triage for situations that require supervisor escalation.
• Schedule routine housekeeping patrols during peak and off-peak hours; log patrols with timestamps and photos.

Internal resource: Employee Duties, Patrols and Housekeeping Standards to Limit Slip-and-Fall Exposure

4) Inadequate signage and temporary hazard controls

Root cause:

• Improper or absent signage for wet floors, steps, or temporary hazards; signs that are obstructed or non-compliant.
  How to eliminate:
• Use standardized, highly visible signage and place it so it’s readable from travel paths.
• Combine signage with active control: cones, temporary barriers and a staff member directing traffic if severe hazard.
• Document placement of signs and removal once hazard is cleared.

Internal resource: Signage, Notice Rules and When Visibility Is Legally Sufficient in Hospitality Settings

5) Flooring transitions, worn stairs and inadequate lighting

Root cause:

• Height differentials at door thresholds, worn stair treads, torn carpet edges, and dim corridors.
  How to eliminate:
• Use transition strips where flooring types meet and keep step edges in high-contrast.
• Replace or repair worn treads; apply anti-slip stair nosing.
• Maintain lighting levels to ANSI/ASHRAE standards for corridors and stairways; prioritize maintenance on burned-out bulbs.

6) Poor drainage and pool/deck surface design

Root cause:

• Sloped surfaces that drain toward walking paths, cracked deck finishes, and bare concrete that becomes slippery when wet.
  How to eliminate:
• Re-engineer deck and pool surrounds to drain away from guest paths and use textured pavers or slip-resistant coatings.
• Schedule frequent surface inspections and patch or resurface failing areas immediately.

Operational controls: policies, training, documentation

• Formalize SOPs: spill response, weather protocols, nightly housekeeping checklists, and incident reporting.
• Training cadence: onboarding + quarterly refreshers for staff and annual manager-level legal awareness training.
• Documentation: time-stamped logs, photos, CCTV clips, witness statements. Preserve evidence immediately after an incident to defend a future claim.

Internal resource: Incident Investigation and Preserving Evidence After a Slip or Trip at Your Property

Technology & products that reduce risk (cost vs benefit)

Notes:

• Camera pricing example (Ring): https://ring.com/
• Mat rental example (Cintas): https://www.cintas.com/facility-services/mats/
• 3M Safety-Walk products: https://www.3m.com/

Cost-benefit perspective

A single significant slip-and-fall claim can easily reach the tens of thousands of dollars once medical costs, litigation and reputational harm are included. Preventive investments often pay for themselves:

• Mat rental and improved entrance control: often recouped after preventing one moderate claim.
• Cameras and documentation: reduce paid claims through stronger defense; initial camera at $150 can save $10,000+ in avoided payouts or reduced settlements.
• Training and SOPs: low-cost with outsized impact on response times and legal defensibility.

For national context on costs associated with falls: CDC reports the heavy economic burden of fall-related injuries (older adult statistic): https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html. The National Floor Safety Institute offers industry-focused prevention guidance: https://nfsi.org/.

Implementation checklist for hospitality managers (U.S. focused)

• Audit all entrances, lobbies, bathrooms, kitchens, pool decks and stairs for traction and drainage.
• Start a 30/60/90-day remediation plan: mats, signage, anti-slip treatments, drainage fixes.
• Launch documented spill-response SOP and train all staff within 30 days.
• Install or upgrade CCTV in high-risk zones; integrate with incident logs.
• Contract a reliable mat program (e.g., Cintas) and a cleaning partner for daily floor maintenance.
• Run quarterly drills and maintain incident-preservation kits (measuring tape, cones, camera).
• Keep records of repairs, staff training and patrol logs for at least 5 years.

Final note

In hospitality markets like New York City, Los Angeles and Miami, where weather and volumes amplify slip risk, a combined approach of engineering controls, rigorous policies, staff training and documentation is essential. Small up-front investments in mat programs, anti-slip treatments and cameras paired with disciplined housekeeping and incident preservation significantly reduce both incidence and the high costs of claims.

External sources:

• CDC — Falls Among Adults: https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html
• National Floor Safety Institute: https://nfsi.org/
• Cintas — Mats & Entrance Solutions: https://www.cintas.com/facility-services/mats/
• Ring (example camera pricing): https://ring.com/

Internal resources:

• Slip, Trip & Fall Prevention for Restaurants and Hotels: Engineering, Policies and Training
• Matting and Outdoor Maintenance to Prevent Customer Injuries
• Incident Investigation and Preserving Evidence After a Slip or Trip at Your Property