In many grocery stores and markets, produce misters cover fruits and vegetables with tiny droplets of refreshing water. Not only do these misters give produce a fresh and vibrant appearance, but they also allow grocers to charge more for the items you put into your salad.
All grocery store owners and their employees have a duty to provide a reasonably safe place for you to shop. Produce misters may contribute to a breach of that duty. Here are some ways produce misters may put your safety at risk.
Defective misters
When they work properly, misters shoot water directly onto produce. A faulty mister, though, may spray water onto the grocery store floor. Likewise, water and lime deposits may change the trajectory of mist. Either way, if the store has a tile or polished concrete floor, pooled water from defective misters may be a slip-and-fall hazard.
Shaken produce
There is no reason for customers to pay for added water weight or to transport water home with their fruits and vegetables. Consequently, when picking out produce, customers may shake water loose. If they do so over the floor, a serious slip-and-fall accident may be imminent.
Missing signs
If employees at the market do not have enough time to mop up accumulated water from produce misters, they should put up warning signs. If these signs are missing, you may not know you are entering a potentially life-threatening situation.
Even though a slip, trip or fall at the grocery store may be painful and embarrassing, you must take steps to protect yourself. After all, if you suffer a serious injury in a mister-related slip-and-fall accident, you may be able to pursue financial compensation from the store and its owner.