The unbelievably dangerous hazards in your grocery store

There’s nothing more normal or routine than heading to the grocery store. Whether you loathe the weekly visit, or you can’t wait to browse in the aisle and find a bargain, grocery shopping is something we all have to put ourselves through.

But did you know you could be putting yourself at risk? Believe it or not, grocery stores can be incredibly dangerous places, especially if they’re not being managed fully or adequately. Still need convincing? Read on to discover the unbelievably dangerous hazards in your grocery store.

Slips, trips and falls

Falling over in public is awfully humiliating. But we pick ourselves up, laugh it off or hope that no one saw what happened. Unfortunately, some falls are more serious than others – check out personalinjury.com if you’ve been injured in a public place – and when you slip and fall in a supermarket onto the cold hard floor, or even in the parking lot, you could be left with broken bones, fractures and even a serious back injury.

Slips and trips are incredibly common in supermarkets. A rogue grape on the floor could send you sliding, the water from a leaking fridge could have you falling at a bad angle and even tripping over abandoned boxes and staff equipment in the foyer could leave you seriously injured, in need of medical attention. The possibilities are extensive and terrifying!

Being struck by falling objects

We often see tin cans piled high in cartoons, but when they fall it doesn’t leave any lasting damage! In real life, however, the risk to your health is real. And there are hundreds of reported accidents each year involving falling produce and items in supermarkets. Depending on the weight, the number and the velocity of the items involved, you or even your children could be at serious risk of life-changing injuries.

Food safety risks

When we buy fresh produce from the supermarket, the last thing we expect is to have our health compromised. Sadly, contamination and illness caused by bacteria and poor handling processes are more common than you might think. Whether you’re having a fresh salad put together by an employee who hasn’t washed their hands after using the bathroom, or you’ve purchased fresh fruit that’s been contaminated by mice or other pests. A supermarket should always adhere to strict food safety standards, failing to do so could leave you or your family seriously ill.

Misters

There’s something almost magical about produce misters – they claim to keep fresh produce in good condition and looking fantastic. The visual appeal is obvious; however, they might not be as safe as you think. When not properly maintained, supermarket misting machines have the capability of harboring dangerous bacteria such as Legionnaires disease. When shoppers (or staff) inhale these contaminated droplets they’re putting their respiratory health at serious risk.

And finally, kiddie carts

Keeping your kids occupied whilst you’re shopping isn’t easy which is why kiddie carts are such a blessing. However, despite their usefulness, they’re probably harboring all kinds of bacteria. And all those germs will quickly spread over that fresh fruit and veg you’ve just placed in there. Avoid using them if you can!