The issue I'd like to cover in this article is why clients might see a reduction in slip levels on floors that have received an anti slip treatment or coating.
We recently conducted a slip test for a facilities company looking after hospitals in the UK. We do this series of slip tests every year and have also conducted anti slip treatment work for the same client. They take public and employee safety seriously so have an ongoing slip testing programme in place for certain areas which have caused issues in the past.
We conducted our initial anti slip treatment in 2017 and from then we have monitored the slip resistance levels across a number of sites. From that initial treatment to now the slip levels have dropped from a low slip risk of around 44 to now heading towards being a moderate slip risk. This might not seem much but this moderate risk increases the likelihood of a slip accident by 10 times.
The question is, why has this happened when the slip levels were so high after treatment?
The answer is quite simple. The floor must be maintained using the correct product and processes to keep the longevity of the slip resistance on the surface. As with most things, anti slip treatments and coatings need maintaining in order to keep standards high.
We often use the analogy of a car. You don't buy a nice new car and then proceed to never wash it, get it serviced or top up the oil and water every now and again. The same can be applied to anti slip treatments and coatings, they must be maintained!
Anti slip coatings and treatments have microscopic peaks and troughs which create traction under foot and therefore help to reduce slips. If dirt and grime is building up on that surface it will eventually fill all the troughs and cover all the peaks, the anti slip is therefore no longer serving its purpose and people walking on it are now essentially just walking on a dirty floor. This in turn massively increases slip risk and is the reason behind why slip resistance levels drop on a Pendulum Slip Tester.
With all of our anti slip work we provide our clients with a maintenance program they must adhere to in order to keep slip resistance at optimum levels. It is important the correct product and process is used or slip levels will drop over time. The client will have wasted their money and safety levels will not be up to scratch.
So remember, think of your floors in the same bracket as your nice new car, keep it maintained and you will get the best out of it for the maximum amount of time!
If you have any questions about floor safety or your floors in general we are always on hand to give advice. We can conduct slip tests if you are having slippery floor issues and also solve any problems that may or may not arise.
Thanks for reading!