Camden Slip and Fall Lawyers: Slip and Falls Due to Poor Lighting

The responsibilities of a property owner to keep their area safe extends beyond that of keep walking areas clear of debris. Inadequate lighting can be the cause of serious slip and fall accidents. It may be easy to take lighting for granted, but poor lighting can effectively hide obstructions that would cause someone to slip and fall or trip and fall. Inadequate lighting is one of the top four reasons for injuries in office settings.

Types of Inadequate Lighting

Inadequate lighting can easily be misidentified. It may not be immediately obvious that an area is not well-lit enough until it is too late. Inadequate lighting that would leave property owners liable for slip and fall injuries include:

• A lack of emergency lights or a back-up generator
• Burned-out or improperly maintained lightbulbs
• Lowering lights in a facility before customers have exited
• Failure to install or replace lighting where needed
• Not turning on house lights in a movie theater when customers are leaving

Determining Adequate Lighting

The standards that divide “adequate lighting” from “inadequate lighting” may seem difficult to determine. OSHA, however, has created an outline of requirements for lighting to be considered adequate. Federal lighting guidelines require that a certain number of “foot-candles” of light must be provided to workers. The OSHA defines a foot-candle (ftc) as the amount of illumination provided by a candle from 1 foot distance. These standards vary; an office must be lit to 30 ftc, whereas a warehouse only needs to be lit to 5 ftc. If the ftc number comes below these standards and a slip and fall accident occurs, the property owners will be liable for the accident.

Camden Slip and Fall Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Fight for Compensation for Victims of Slip and Fall Accidents Caused by Poor Lighting

If you or someone that you know have suffered an injury due to a slip and fall accident, whether due to inadequate lighting or otherwise, we can help. The dedicated Camden slip and fall lawyers at DiTomaso Law are prepared to help you with your case. Our offices are located in Center City Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. We assist clients throughout Philadelphia County, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Chester County, Delaware County, Camden County, Burlington County, Salem County, Gloucester County, Cumberland County, and Atlantic County. Call our Cherry Hill offices at 856-414-0010 to schedule a free consultation, or submit an online contact form.