07/04/11
Slip
Test Can Improve Safety And Save Money
It is fair to say that regulation compliance is more important today
than it has ever been. If you are running any sort of business where
employees or customer safety may be at risk, the consequences of not
minimising the risk can be very damaging. Not only to any potential
victim, but the business can suffer greatly through paying out damages
and being in breach of any health and safety requirements they are legally
obliged to uphold. There are a number of tests firms should undertake
to ensure they are complying with safety requirements and one of the
most vital would have to be the slip
test.
As you can probably tell by the name, the slip
test considers the safety of any pathway or walkway on your premises.
The test can be carried out indoors or outdoors and is useful for a
whole variety of premises. It makes sense for a shopping centre or airports
to ensure the safety of their walkways, but it is as relevant for offices,
hotels and factories. Quite simply, if staff or guests are walking around,
this test will measure the reliability and safety of the walking surface
area. It may not sound exciting, but the penalties for not maintaining
high quality surface conditions can be damaging.
One of the most important aspects of the slip
test comes in the risk audit that takes place. A firm that knows
this test is to take place may take precautions to ensure the area is
in good condition but what about the rest of the time? An audit of the
area will highlight any areas which may be at higher risk. This will
allow a firm to put preventative measures into place to maintain the
integrity of any path or walkway. Working to minimise any risk will
help a firm ensure they are meeting the requirements of the Workplace
Act and fulfilling HSE Guidelines.
A thorough and reliable cleaning process is required to maintain the
condition of a walkway and a slip
test can provide information about this. The company undertaking
the test will be able to provide information about how best to clean
relevant areas in order to maintain their safety. The purpose of the
test is not only to examine safety on a one-off date or occasion, but
to ensure there are long term safety measures put in place.
Carrying out the slip test
on a regular basis can help to lower a business’s overall costs
in a number of ways. Obtaining positive results through these tests
can often lead to firms lowering their insurance premiums. Another saving
can come from efficiency savings in the cleaning process. Part of the
test focus falls on the use of detergent in the cleaning process. Quite
often, firms use too much detergent, which can have an impact on the
consistency of the surface. Lowering the volume of detergent can save
money and improve the consistency of the surface. Given the current
economic climate, any financial savings are worth making and these tests
can save money in the long run.
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Further
information
Pendulum
testing - Surface roughness
- Slips Potential Model - Slip
testing methods - HSE
slips site - Grip Potential Ltd
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