SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS
There are various factors that determine how slip- resistant footwear is. It’s important to note that a ‘safety shoe’ doesn’t necessarily have good slip resistance.
I – INDIVIDUAL If we know about slippery surface, we can all walk on
them safely, we just adjust our gait. Anything you can do to reduce distractions or surprises to users of your floors will reduce slip risk.
Equally, doing anything other than walking at a normal pace in a straight line, such as twisting, turning, pushing, pulling or carrying, increases our requirement for friction. Think about how you can manage any non- standard walking activity such as this.
M – MAINTENANCE A slip-resistant floor out of the box will change; you
cannot rely on the fact it was slip-resistant when you bought it. There are three main reasons floors may change. Firstly, repurposing: for example, a clothes shop becomes a fishmonger’s and the floor that was designed for a dry environment is now a constantly wet environment. Secondly, wear: floors will change with use over the years. But, importantly, this can happen in a matter of weeks. And last but not least, cleaning, which can introduce risk to floors that are normally dry.
Think about when and how cleaning is undertaken. On floors that are foreseeably wet, such as hotel bathrooms, and entrance areas, cleaning can be the difference between a floor performing as it’s designed to and not. In our experience, over 50% of slip issues are caused by ineffective cleaning of surfaces. Just because a floor is being cleaned – even it if it looks ok – does not mean that it is being cleaned effectively.
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E – ENVIRONMENT Thinking holistically, the wider environment affects
slip risk in various ways: from the weather, to lighting, to condensation to steps, to ramps and slopes. Think about how you can create an environment that offers the safest pedestrian experience by designing out these potential pitfalls.
S – SURFACE The last in our list but perhaps the most important: if
you start life with a floor that is slip-resistant when wet, you’ve got a decent chance of preventing accidents; if you don’t, it’s going to be an uphill battle.
A floor’s slip-resistance can be scientifically measured using a pendulum test, which is the HSE’s approved method. Pendulum testing should be undertaken on all floors as part of the construction project, but also periodically to monitor and ensure floors continue to be safe. Our insurer and lawyer partners suggest doing this annually as a minimum frequency.
A floor which achieves a Pendulum Test Value of 36+ in both dry and wet conditions is considered low risk. Beware of suppliers of floors or cleaning products / equipment trying to sell ‘safe floors’ in dry conditions only – you must ensure you understand the wet slip resistance. PTV 36+ is not necessarily always needed in every single case, though.
The Slip Safety website has a handy Scrorecard tool which will benchmark your current performance versus best practice on each of the six CHIMES. You’ll receive a detailed, personalised report telling you where you are now and how you might improve.
www.slipsafety.co.uk 37
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