Accident Prevention: How Your Café or Restaurant Can Avoid Liability Claims

With so many people coming and going from restaurants and cafes across Australia each day, it’s no surprise that there are times when accidents happen. Although your restaurant or café insurance is always there to protect you in the event of a liability claim, it’s best to avoid accidents from happening in the first place. Let’s take a look at some easy steps you can take to keep your café or restaurant as accident free as possible!

Preventing accidents in your café or restaurant

Act immediately – In many cases, accidents can be prevented simply by acting quickly in the event of spills or breaks. If a glass is broken or drinks are spilled, deal with it immediately so it doesn’t pose a hazard for patrons. Always put out caution signs while you’re cleaning up any spills.

Correct maintenance – Ongoing maintenance is essential for accident prevention and keeping your premises in good condition will make all the difference. Small issues such as uneven pavement or a rickety stair can cause big problems if a patron trips and falls.

Have a plan – You can’t expect your staff to act quickly if you don’t have a plan in place. Have clear procedures in place around dealing with hazards so your staff know exactly what they need to do and have instructions in plain sight.

Train staff – Ongoing staff training should occur around your restaurant or café’s processes for preventing accidents. If an accident does occur, such as a patron falling over, you also need to ensure your staff know how to act. Check who has first aid qualifications and ensure everyone is aware of the correct follow up procedures.

The right insurance cover

No matter how many precautions you take, accidents happen and there may come a time where you find yourself at the receiving end of a claim. For this reason, it’s essential that you have the correct insurance cover in place. Public liability insurance will protect you financially if damage or injury occurs to a third party in your café or restaurant and it goes without saying that cafes and restaurants need to have this cover in place. Speak to your insurance broker about getting liability cover, along with any other additional policies you may need.

Here at GSK Insurance Brokers, we have in-depth knowledge of the café and restaurant industry and are able to provide insurance solutions for the ultimate peace of mind. We’ve established ourselves as one of Australia’s leading insurance brokers, and our passion and expertise means that we can find the right insurance solution for you. We identify the unique set of risks facing your business and develop tailored solutions.

For more information about café and restaurant insurance, contact GSK Insurance Brokers today on (08) 9478 1933.

October 29, 2018

By Graham Knight

Founder and Managing Director of GSK Insurance (established in 1981). Graham draws upon more than 50 years’ experience in the insurance industry, working in both insurance and broking across various private, public and government sectors in Australia.