SA courts enforce safety standards

SHOPPING centre accidents are more common and often more serious than many South Africans realise.

- DIEKETSENG MALEKE

Incidents range from wet supermarket floors and falling merchandise to faulty escalators and collapsing roofs, turning routine shopping trips into life-changing events.According to DSC Attorneys partner Kirstie Haslam, personal injury claims linked to shopping centres and supermarkets are increasing, with courts holding property owners accountable where reasonable safety measures were not taken.

"People assume that accidents in malls are just 'bad luck, but the law looks very closely at whether those injuries were foreseeable and preventable," Haslam says.

Common Hazards

Haslam identifies the most frequent risks:

Slip, trip and fall incidents caused by wet floors, uneven or defective flooring, poor lighting, missing warning signs, or obstructions such as pallets and boxes left in aisles.

Structural failures including roof collapses during severe weather, falling ceiling panels, unsecured fixtures and broken glass panels.

Equipment failures such as malfunctioning escalators or lifts, faulty automatic doors, damaged shopping trolleys and poorly maintained facilities.