Why Trip Hazards Are a Question of Millimetres Rather Than Opinion
Where a slip is about traction, a trip is about geometry. A change in level exceeding what the standard permits without a bevel, a threshold set proud of the finished floor, a stair with risers varying between treads, or a handrail stopping short of the bottom riser are all measurable conditions with published limits.
That measurability is what makes them well suited to a licensed contractor's testimony. Stair riser and tread dimensions are measured across the whole flight rather than only at the reported location, because the variance between treads is the condition that matters. People climb on rhythm, not by looking at each step.
Dimensional defects rarely appear overnight. Settlement, wear and progressive damage develop over months or years, which puts the inspection and repair record at the centre of the analysis. Work orders, punch lists from a prior renovation, photographs taken for unrelated purposes and the maintenance schedule for the area together establish when the condition became findable and whether anyone was looking.
