05/05/11
Slip Resistance Can Strengthen Your Business
Given that a large proportion of accidents happen in the workplace and the majority of workplace accidents are slips or trips, it is obvious that a great deal of focus needs to be placed on ensuring floors and pavements are in good condition. Uneven, slippery or even broken flooring has been the cause of many accidents and a cursory check through a well maintained accident and near miss log book at work would probably illustrate this. This is why it essential for businesses to ensure that their floors are kept in good condition and a slip resistance test is the industry standard in testing the conditions of floors.
The impact of Health and Safety regulations on businesses has been huge and this has caused many companies to have a greater focus on ensuring that their workplace is safe, but that shouldn’t be the only issue. Employers have a duty of care to ensure that staff members can walk safely around the building or surrounding grounds. If there is a high chance of falling, slipping or tripping, the morale in the workplace can become lower than usual, as employees feel that their employers do not care about them. A slip resistance test can play a big role in ensuring that the motivational levels of employees remains high.
Even though the slip resistance test will be an expenditure that some businesses may feel uncertain about paying for, it can bring about financial savings in the long-term. The cost of a staff member injuring themselves at work can be very high - even if they do not put in a claim for damages against the company. Missing out on the work carried out by the employee but still having to pay their wages while they are off on sick leave can be damaging to a company, especially in the current financial climate. Being unable to call on all of your employees can leave some companies unable to fulfil their orders, which can cause yet more financial difficulties.
In this light, slip resistance testing should be at the top of every company’s list because it can save them a great deal of money and stress. It is obvious that floors near entrances and exits may become slippery when the conditions outside are poor (when it is raining/snowing). It is also fair to say that certain kitchen and canteen floorings may be more likely to be affected by spillages, all of which means the type and condition of the floor can play a big part in whether individuals are injured in these areas.
A slip resistance test will give a proper indication of a floor’s integrity and if extra attention needs to be placed on a particular part of the floor, it can be. Certain floor conditions need extra care and attention, whilst some flooring types can react badly with certain cleaning chemicals. All of these aspects can impact on the integrity of the floor so carrying out regular tests on floors and surfaces can help to minimise the cost of injuries to a business and to individuals.
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Further
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Pendulum
testing - Surface roughness
- Slips Potential Model - Slip
testing methods - HSE
slips site - Grip Potential Ltd
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