Anti-slip Flooring Surfaces in the Workplace and the Effect of Slips, Trips and Falls on the Economy

The growing array of flooring surfaces that need to be polished to maintain their appearance has given rise to its fair share of slipping incidents. In a few extreme cases, such incidents have left victims paralysed or even fatally injured. In other cases, it has led to several law suits and expenses stemming from injuries like shoulder or elbow dislocation. Employees are also forced to go on medical sabbaticals to recuperate from such injuries, which may very well disrupt important work. Statistics from HSE (Heath and Safety Executive) suggest that slips and trips are the most common cause for injuries at work. In fact, they account for more than a third of work related injuries and for more than half the injuries sustained by unsuspecting visitors and the public. This research also shows that trips and falls cost employers more than £512 million a year in the form of lost production, law suit settlements, and other related costs. While workplace insurance can cover only part of the expenses, most of these costs are borne by employers themselves. To avoid these hassles, many organisations opted for signs such as ‘wet floor’, ‘polished floor’ or ‘caution’ to reduce slipping incidents. This has been a little effective in warning people and in abdicating the organisation’s role in the incident, but it’s still prone to human error where cleaning staff misplace the sign or children may push or knock down the signs. Slips and falls can also cause damages to your property and carefully designed interiors. For instance, an employee may slip and pour a drink over an expensive laptop or spill a container of food against your freshly done wall or on your new couch. In the worst case scenario, someone could slip and crash into a glass partition. Following such incidents, many organisations have come to understand the importance of anti-slip flooring surfaces in offices and commercial spaces. These types of flooring were once designed only for wet surfaces like bathroom floors. However, since anti skid surfaces have proven their importance, all leading flooring manufacturers are designing anti skid versions of popular flooring materials. Moreover, most of these modern anti kid floorings do not require much polishing and are comparatively much easier to maintain. Apart from creating a safer environment, there are a few other benefits of using anti-slip flooring surfaces. You will save a lot on maintenance. You can avoid unpleasant litigations and law suits. It will allow you to move around faster rather than tread cautiously. In factories and workshops where workers need to move around quickly, it could very well mean increased productivity. You can have a uniform design across your entire building as these flooring solutions are suitable for foyers, factory floors, pathways, stairways, workshops, clubs and restaurants. You can add floor safety inspection reports to your corporate safety awareness drive. An added advantage is that these floorings also come in a range of appealing designs that can enhance your decor.