Why good lighting on the
stairs reduces liability risk for leisure venues
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.
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