Concrete Trip Hazard Removal
reduce your liability for trip and fall lawsuits and ADA non-compliance lawsuits! Get a Trip Hazard Survey
The Problem
Concrete sidewalks settle. Concrete sidewalks rise. This leads to uneven walking surfaces that create tripping hazards and non-compliance issues with the (ADA) Americans With Disabilities Act.
The Solution
Kelly Concrete Grinding. We eliminate trip hazards caused by uneven concrete surfaces. Kelly Concrete Grinding uses an environmentally friendly process that is virtually dust-free and leaves a smooth finished surface.
Concrete Trip Removal
Painting the Hazard
Most property managers and HOAs see painting the trip hazard as a smart decision, so pedestrians see the hazard and can avoid it. Unfortunately, this is a costly mistake. While your heart may be in the right place, during litigation this serves the plaintiff as acknowledgment that you knew the trip hazard was present and you did nothing to mitigate the problem. While painting the trip hazard may help avoid an accident, it’s no substitution for removing the hazard and should be treated as an extremely short term solution.
Avoid Liability From Walkway Trip Hazards
Sidewalks, ramps and other walkways are often overlooked as a potential source of liability for businesses. In fact, the most common type of lawsuit that is filed these days is for trip-and-fall accidents on sidewalks or in parking lots. To protect your business from lawsuits and to comply with ADA standards, you need concrete trip removal services. Let’s look at how concrete trip hazard removal can help you lower your risk by making sure sidewalks and other walkways are free of tripping hazards – all without having to worry about expensive litigation costs!
Concrete trip removal ensures that sidewalks are free of tripping hazards caused by raised or sunken surfaces. Our concrete grinding process helps businesses and homeowners avoid costly litigation expense by making sure walkways are ADA compliant.
Many people fall and injure themselves while walking on public sidewalks or walkways. The most common type of lawsuit filed today is for a trip and fall accident on sidewalks or in parking lots so concrete trip hazard removal will keep you protected from lawsuits.
Concrete grinding can be also used to make sure all your business’s sidewalks, ramps and other walkways comply with ADA standards without having to worry about expensive litigation!
Our proven concrete grinding process eliminated concrete tripping hazards due to raised or sunken surfaces. We use the latest in concrete grinding technology resulting in a virtually dust-free process that leaves a smooth, level surface.
Don’t wait until it’s too late and you’re hit with a trip and fall lawsuit or an ADA violation. Get in touch with us and see how we can eliminate any trip hazards quickly and for far less than you might imagine. 🚧
Concrete Tripping Hazards
A concrete trip hazard is a portion of your concrete walkway that could trip a pedestrian or trip up someone with accessibility issues. Trip hazards are most often seen where two portions of concrete meet, but they could be found anywhere in your walkway.
Despite their durability, concrete surfaces suffer damage over time. Concrete may soften or become loose as the layer underneath shifts or expands. Cracks in concrete surfaces widen over time and could cause tripping. Old, deteriorating concrete ramps are also known to be dangerous because their steps are steep and poorly formed.
Sidewalk Safety Standards
Yes, there are sidewalk safety standards. They’re called ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards. They’re intended to make sidewalks safer for people who have a disability. These standards apply to a city’s sidewalk design as well as sidewalk maintenance. Even if you have no mobility issues, cracks and other dangerous sidewalk defects that are visible must be fixed. For those with mobility issues, even small, hidden sidewalk hazards can lead to accidents that might otherwise have been prevented.
Americans With Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 specifies minimum requirements for access for persons with disabilities. ADA accessibility standards apply to all buildings or other places of public accommodation. ADA trip hazard specifications include changes in level greater than 1/4″, which make it more difficult to travel on uneven or broken sidewalks, ramps, and curbs. Sidewalk maintenance is important for pedestrians. Regular sidewalk maintenance reduces trip hazards by maintaining a smooth, clean walkway. Cracks and lifts need to be fixed to ensure safe travels. We use a special very low dust grinding process to eliminate potential trip hazards by keeping sidewalk panels even. According to the ADA, trip hazards must be removed from any public or commercial sidewalks. Complying with the act allows people with disabilities to travel safely and more easily.
Local Sidewalk Safety Standards
In addition to the ADA standards, local municipalities have their own rules for sidewalk safety. Some of these rules may be more stringent than the ADA standards. Sidewalks should be free of obstructions, such as planters or trees. A sidewalk is considered an “ADA-compliant” walking surface if it is at least 1 inch thick, has a smooth surface, and is free of sharp edges, bumps, holes, or other hazards. Sidewalks should not be slippery or have a rough surface. Slippery surfaces are dangerous because they can cause a person to fall. A smooth, non-slip surface is easier to walk on.
Parking Lot Trip Hazards
Concrete trip hazards aren’t limited to just walkways or sidewalks. Parking lots can also have concrete trip hazards. A trip hazard is any portion of your parking lot that could trip a guest on foot or trip up someone with accessibility issues. Trip hazards are most often seen where two portions of concrete meet, but they could be found anywhere in your lot.
In addition to being a trip hazard, uneven concrete surfaces can also cause damage during snow plowing activities.
You should regularly do a drive-through inspection of your entire lot to look for any potential hazards. Ideally you should be able to get to any part of your lot from any other part without issue. If you find issues, there are a few different solutions available.
Why Parking Lot Trip Hazards are a Problem
It’s not only an inconvenience if portions of your lot are inaccessible or dangerous – it’s illegal. All public parking lots must meet certain ADA compliance standards to allow all visitors easy access to your building. If you’re found to be non-compliant you could be cited or even sued. Making your lot safe and accessible is not only the moral thing to do, it’s the law.
Avoiding Trip & Fall Lawsuits ⚠️
As a property or business owner, there are several ways to avoid costly trip and fall lawsuits:
– Keep your property in good repair by inspecting it regularly for any hazards, repairing them immediately, and using signage to warn of any potential dangers until repairs can be made.
– Educate your employees on how to safely navigate the premises, including watching for trip hazards.
– Post warning signs where necessary and provide clear instructions on how to safely navigate the area.
– Keep walkways and entrances free of clutter and obstacles.
– Make sure steps, ramps, and other walking surfaces are in good condition and well lit.
If you suspect that your concrete surface may be hazardous, have it inspected by Kelly Concrete Grinding to determine the best course of action.
By following these simple tips, you can help keep your property safe and avoid costly trip and fall lawsuits. For more information or assistance with concrete tripping hazards, contact Kelly Concrete Grinding today.
Serving Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island and Iowa City
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