One bit of loose carpet can be a serious issue if someone trips on it or slips because it isn’t gripping the floor. Tripping or slipping can be bad enough if you fall down to the floor fast and hard, but what about carpets on stairs? You take a fall down a flight of stairs and you can end up with serious injuries.
So is there a law or a duty when it comes to loose carpets? It depends on where it happens, but given its likely it will be in a place of work or in a public place, here is the info you need to know:
Loose Carpet at Work
Regulation 12 (2) (a) states:
The floor, or surface of the traffic route, shall have no hole or slope, or be uneven or slippery so as, in each case, to expose any person to a risk to his health or safety.
This imposes a duty on your employer to make sure that any carpets do not become loose and subsequently cause a slipping hazard. If you are injured because of a loose carpet, you may be able to make a claim against your employer.
Loose Carpet in Public Place
This normally comes under the Occupiers Liability Act. This means that there is a duty for anybody in control of a premises to take care of any visitors general health and safety. So when it comes to loose carpets, there is a duty to make sure that they do not pose a hazard to members of the public. This is normally achieved through a system of inspection and maintenance. If the occupiers of the premises fail to have such a system, or fail to uphold a system, you may be able to make a claim.
Loose Carpet at Your Home?
If you rent your property and you are injured due to loose carpeting, you may be able to make a claim as well. Although this may come down to what notice your landlords had. If they were aware of the problem but failed to act on it, you may be able to make a claim.
