Arizona business owners are dedicated to making sure their business succeed, and keeping employees and customers safe is one way to reach that goal. Slips, trips and falls at the workplace can result in injuries, both minor and major, and open up the company to a lawsuit. Of course, no business owner wants anyone injured at the workplace, and they definitely don’t want to be the center of a liability lawsuit. That’s where an Arizona walkway auditor can help.

Here are 3 reasons to call an Arizona walkway auditor, sooner rather than later:

Reason #1: Assess Current Flooring Risks

Arizona walkway auditors can inspect and test the current condition of the flooring throughout the workplace. Some of the tasks that occur during an audit include checking out foot traffic patterns, testing flooring friction, analyzing current cleaning methods and products and looking for potential damage from wear and tear.

The walkway auditor will spend time at the workplace with special equipment and will also take photos, talk to employees and make notes. Flooring that looks normal to a business owner or employee can reveal a number of issues to a trained and certified walkway auditor.

Reason #2. Identify High Risk Areas

The walkway auditor will be able to identify high risk areas at the workplace where flooring needs better maintenance, further repair, improved floor safety management and so forth. An Arizona walkway auditor will point out potential hazards and explain why they are occurring. Examples of hazards might include improper use of cleaning chemicals that are stripping the flooring’s finish, causing it to be too slippery or sticky. Another example might be that there is inappropriate flooring material on a ramp or incline, boosting the risk of a slip and fall in that area.

No matter what the flooring or its condition, an Arizona walkway auditor will be able to provide an expert-level opinion on spots within the building that pose the highest risk for accidents and injuries. The good news is that the walkway auditor will also have suggestions, advice and recommendations on what business owners can do to remedy the situation, lowering the risk as much as possible. Solutions might include changing the equipment and cleaning chemicals, plus better training for employees who clean the flooring. Another example might be to apply special sealants to provide more traction for slippery areas. Providing solutions to flooring problems are all part of what Arizona walkway auditors do.

Reason #3. Written Reports for Long-term Records

One of the biggest reasons that business owners get blindsided with a liability lawsuit is that they don’t have evidence on hand to support their claims that they are being proactive with floor safety at the workplace. When Arizona business owners use the services of a walkway auditor, they are investing in that not-so-distant day when they must appear in court to defend themselves. The walkway auditor’s report can help the business owner back up their claims.

A walkway auditor provides a written report of all findings at the workplace, listing high risk areas, hazards, and cleaning and maintenance practices. In a follow up report, Arizona walkway auditors also do a written report to show the changes implemented by the business owner. In the event that there is a slip and fall accident at work, the walkway auditor’s report can show the status of the flooring before, during and after the event. If business owners have consistent reports of low risk flooring, plus documentation to show they’ve done everything they can to reduce and eliminate hazards, it could mean a better outcome at court.

Arizona business owners who haven’t yet hired a walkway auditor to check out the flooring and walkways at work have no reason to wait. In order to be proactive in implementing an overall safety plan at work, hire a certified Arizona walkway auditor today.