Slip and Fall Safety for Your VRBO Rental

VRBO’s have quickly become a popular way to experience a getaway in 2020. Allowing for social distancing and the comforts of home, your VRBO provides a safe and fun environment. But is your vacation rental just a slip and fall away from sending guests to the emergency room?

Slip and fall accidents continuously rank within the top three reasons for injury while vacationing. Luckily, with proper (easy!) prevention measures on your part, you can make your vacation rental a safe space. Slip and fall accidents happen for a variety of reasons, but the top offenders are lack of slip resistance on surfaces, poor visibility, and lack of hand/guard rails. Consider assessing the following locations in your vacation rental. By implementing a few of our simple suggestions your VRBO will be safer for everyone.

Non Slip Treads in Kitchens

With kitchens offering the trifecta of grease, water, and spilled food they can be prime for slip and fall accidents. Pair that with preoccupied guests and it's important to protect the area before an accident happens. Non slip treads for your VRBO offer an affordable way to keep your guests safe. Follow these simple tips to ensure you choose the best non slip tread for your kitchen and it lasts long-term.

• A medium grade non-slip tread like Jessup’s Safety Track 3500 is ideal for kitchens because it can stand up to elements and heavy foot traffic.
• Put non-slip treads in front of the stove where grease and oil can commonly fly up and sink areas. If your kitchen has sharp turns or doors, you will want to put non-slip treads around those areas.
• Don’t forget bar areas. Putting a non-slip tread around the front and back of the bar is recommended.

Anti Slip Bath Mats & Grip Tape in Bathrooms

Bathrooms are the most likely suspect for a slip and fall accident to happen in your VRBO. Anti slip bath mats and grip tape are two of the best ways to prevent accidents from occurring in the bathroom. They are inexpensive and can easily be applied to problem areas in the bathroom. With many options available, you can choose ones that are even clear and inconspicuous. Consider a medium grade non-slip bath mat or tread that prevents mold and mildew. These products are comfortable for bare feet, but also stand up to shoe traffic and heavy water.

Additional Bathroom Slip and Fall Safety Tips:

• Bright lighting in the bathroom is important. Make sure you have a nightlight or motion sensing light for late night bathroom usage.
• Choose a cleaning product for floors that is NFSI-certified. These cleaning products are designed to cut through grease, but still keep floors high traction and non-slip.

Indoor and Outdoor Stairs

Stairs in VRBOs can create more accidents than your normal home stairs. Because guests aren’t completely comfortable with layouts of VRBOs, they can easily trip and fall on stairs. You may also be renting your VRBO to a person requiring additional assistance, so having your stairs protected against slip and fall accidents is important. Our top tips for indoor and outdoor stairs include:

• Both indoor and outdoor stairs should also be treated with non-slip stair treads. Use a non slip grit tape for outdoor stairs that are regularly hit with the elements. Indoor stairs should be outfitted with a vinyl non slip tread that can withstand heavy foot traffic and is comfortable on bare feet.
• Make sure handrails are securely fastened.
• Create bright lighting. Consider photoluminescent non slip strips or stair lighting that doesn’t require electricity.

VRBO Slip and Fall Safety

As an owner of a vacation rental, you have a certain level of responsibility when it comes to keeping guests safe. Accidents can and will happen, but by taking precautions you can greatly reduce the potential of them. If you need help assessing your vacation rental for slip and fall safety or questions on what products are suitable for bathrooms, restaurants, or outdoor areas please contact a Jessup representative.