From the moment we wake up, our minds start to plan and map out the running order of our day. The morning routine is first up, and as ‘regular’ as we may think our clockwork mornings are, something always goes wrong. Then, there’s the commute, where we get to discover the new and interesting ways that our fellow commuters have dreamt up overnight to infuriate and bemuse us. Our minds play tricks on us about what awaits when we arrive at work, but it’s never as bad as we think. Lastly, when the working part of the day is done, there’s the trip to the supermarket on the way home.

At no point, however, do we imagine in our wildest dreams that at some point during our day we will be injured in an accident that wasn’t our fault. Least of all, we seldom think of the supermarket as a place where our safety may be at risk (see lawyers who sue Walmart if you have been affected). Supermarkets are nothing new to us. We’ve been visiting them all of our lives. The milk and bread are kept at the back to make us walk through all the other aisles in an attempt to make us buy more stuff, and no matter which queue you choose, it’s always the slowest moving queue in history. We get it. We’re comfortable with supermarkets.

But things can go wrong. Today, we’re going to look at some of the more common accidents that happen in supermarkets.

Spills and slippages

There are a few things going on here. First, supermarket floors are not carpeted. Not only would that be initially too expensive, but the carpet would get worn out and need to be replaced. Especially in winter. That’s why the supermarket floors are hard surfaces. Spillages on hard surfaces can be difficult to see if the surface is patterned, meaning shoppers who spill things are unlikely to think they have caused a hazard. Next, we must factor in the staff, who are generally underpaid and overworked and therefore probably not as vigilant to spillages as we’d like. Mix all these things together, and spillages become the main safety concern for anyone entering a supermarket.

Tripping on loose packaging/cables

The next main safety concern for supermarket shoppers is tripping over the packaging or cables used to bring bulk stock onto the shop floor. Items are not brought out from storage to restock shelves one by one. They are brought out on pallets or in boxes, often with plastic wrapping or cable ties wrapped around the shipment to keep it all together. It is this packaging that gets loose and causes trips.

Keep an eye for shiny spills and loose packaging, or you could end up with a visit to your local hospital.