Labor Day is right around the corner meaning many people will be throwing parties and barbecues in an effort to celebrate the summer season one last time for the year. Many of these parties will be held outdoors on back patios and around pools. If you are throwing a Labor Day party, it is important to carefully inspect your home and lawn for any premises liability hazards to ensure the safety of your guests.

Property Ownership Responsibility

When having family and friends at your house, it is important to remember as property owners that you have responsibilities to your guests. As the homeowner and host of the gathering, it is up to you to keep your home and yard up to appropriate safety standards. Before your Labor Day party or event, you should carefully inspect your property in its entirety for any hazards that could injure those who step foot on your land. Take a look at a few examples of property ownership responsibility:

• Ensure that the structure of your deck, stairs  or patio is sturdy
• Make sure your pool is fenced in
• Keep your lawn mowed and free of large branches and rocks
• Make sure children stay away from the grill at all times
• Supervise any children in or around your pool area
• Make sure the area is properly lit for evening hours
• Hang warning signs for any unpreventable hazards such as a wet floor
• Make sure that there are not faulty pool lights or pumps that could cause electricity to flood your pool or hot tub and cause a risk of electrical shock drowning
• Make sure you are not overserving your guests alcoholic beverages to prevent the risk of their driving while intoxicated

Typical Summertime Accidents

Though there are many types of accidents that can occur during the summer season, which should be considered if you are hosting a party at your home. With more people outside enjoying the warm weather, a slip and fall accident can occur as unique terrain can pose a threat for tripping, especially with children running around and playing. Swimming in a pool is a great way to beat the heat but there are also dangers surrounding it. The potentially most treacherous risk is the slippery plane around the pool. Children are often overly excited to get in the water, meaning running on an unsafe surface. Summer storms can also pose a threat for premises liability claims.

Avoiding Slips, Trips, and Fall Accidents This Labor Day

When it comes to slip and fall prevention, there are several measures you can take to ensure the safety of your family and friends at your Labor Day barbecue.

• Avoid running – Easier said than done but oftentimes running on a dangerous surface leads to tripping and falling.
• Stay hydrated – The summer heat can dehydrate you very quickly, which can lead to feeling dizzy or disoriented and cause a fall.
• Wear proper shoes – Though you most likely want to stay cooler in flip flops and sandals, wearing proper shoes with grips can help with avoiding slips, trips, and falls on a slippery surface.
• Pay attention to your surroundings – Stay alert for stray gardening tools or toys when walking through the yard.
• If you see a hazard, take care of it – Be vigilant. If you see something that could pose a danger, clean it up or warn others about it.

Avoiding the Risk of Electrical Shock Drowning This Labor Day

Electric shock drowning happens when electricity from a pool, hot tub, dock, boat, or marina seeps into the water and electrifies it. As a swimmer enters the water the electricity paralyzes their muscles, causing them to drown. Trying to rescue someone experiencing electric shock drowning remains difficult because rescuers entering the water are also at risk for electrical shock.  Learn more about ESD and get tips on how to prevent it from happening is this previous blog.

Pools and hot tubs can pose just as dangerous a risk of electrical shock drowning as swimming near boats, docks, and marinas. Many times faulty pool lights cause electricity to flood the pool or hot tub, causing fatalities. Here are a few safety measures you should take…

• Make sure you hire a certified electrician to install and maintain lighting and pumps – Hire only a certified electrician to install and perform regular inspections and maintenance on the electrical components of your pool or hot tub, such as the lighting and pumps. Remember a pool technician may not be a certified electrician.
• Inspect all pool or hot tub electrical systems regularly for wear and tear or fraying – You can check yourself to see if there’s any wear and tear along the bonding of the pool or hot tub or any fraying, and if you see an issue contact a certified electrician to perform repairs or maintenance. Always check your pool and hot tub and their electrical systems after periods of violent weather.
• Make sure there are ground fault devices on all electrical systems used by your pool or hot tub – A ground fault device protects the entire power source from its start, and prevents the current from following any unintended paths during a ground fault (contact between an energized conductor and the ground).
• Educate yourself and swimmers about the risks of electrical shock drowning…
  • If a swimmer feels a tingle, they should STOP and TURN AROUND. Get out of the pool or hot tub and warn others.
  • If a swimmer is in trouble, TURN THE POWER OFF! Throw a life ring and try to move the person away with a nonconductive pole or object. DON’T JUMP IN or you will risk injury or fatality to Electrical Shock Drowning as well.
  • Immediately Call 911

Avoiding the Risk of a Drunk Driving Accident This Labor Day

If you are hosting a Labor Day Party and serving alcohol, make sure you are not overserving your guests to help prevent drunk driving accidents. Here are some ways to avoid being liable for overserving a guest that is involved in a drunk driving accident:

• Make Sure There Is A Designated Driver – Name a designated driver to be responsible for not drinking at all during the party so they can drive your guests home safely when the game concludes.
• Offer Plenty Of Non-alcoholic Beverage Choices – Keep the designated driver entertained with non-alcoholic beverages while also giving others the option not to drink. These choices can be as simple as a variety of soda choices or have fun with it and come up with frozen non-alcoholic drinks.
• Create a Cut off Point for Serving Alcohol – Create a cut-off point where you stop serving alcohol at your party. This will allow you to limit the number of drinks that your guests will be able to consume before they drive home.
• Call A Cab Or UBER For Your Guests – If your guests have indulged in too much drinking, make sure they have a safe ride home to protect themselves and others on the roadways.

What to Do If You’re Injured in a Labor Day Accident

We hope you have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend! If you or a loved one experiences an injury on someone’s property due to their negligence this weekend, the first thing to do is seek medical attention. Once the victim receives proper treatment, it may be a good idea to analyze the cause of the accident. Take note of the environment the victim was in at the time of the injury. Was the patio properly structured? If he or she had an accident around the pool, was it properly fenced in, and were the electrical systems properly maintained? There are many factors to consider regarding a potential premises liability case. Once you have gathered this information, contact an accident lawyer to handle your premises liability claim. This experienced attorney will be able to guide you in the right direction to obtain reimbursement you may be entitled to.

If you’ve been injured in a premises liability accident on someone else’s property or business, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Contact personal injury lawyers Brindisi, Murad, Brindisi and Pearlman for a free consultation to learn more about your potential premises liability lawsuit. We offer free legal advice to help the community obtain the reparations they deserve. Contact us today.

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Tags: Premises Liability