This case involves a slip and fall on a wet floor in an Idaho-based community center. The community center’s primary meeting space was rented out to an organization to run an after-school program that would take place in the early afternoon. In spite of this, the building’s maintenance staff cleaned and moped the floor of the meeting space on their normal schedule, so that the floor was still very wet by the time the children had assembled in the room. On this occasion, one child slipped on the wet floor, and suffering serious fractures in her left hand and wrist that required surgery to repair.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. How much time should be given for proper cleaning / drying of floors when scheduling back to back activities?
2. How do you determine when activities can resume after a floor has been wet mopped? Do you have experience serving as an expert witness on similar cases? - Please explain.
Expert Witness Response E-009335
As Director of Facilities and Security for 3 community facilities, I am happy to review this case. Depending upon the type of mop used, I would allow an hour to dry. I would also want to know if they used blowers and went over the floor with a dry mop afterwards. It is the responsibility of the person who mops to determine, through an inspection check, if the floor is dry before activities can resume. I would be glad to speak further.
About the author
Joseph O'Neill
Joe has extensive experience in online journalism and technical writing across a range of legal topics, including personal injury, meidcal malpractice, mass torts, consumer litigation, commercial litigation, and more. Joe spent close to six years working at Expert Institute, finishing up his role here as Director of Marketing. He has considerable knowledge across an array of legal topics pertaining to expert witnesses. Currently, Joe servces as Owner and Demand Generation Consultant at LightSail Consulting.
