Report on Slip and Falls Released

selecting-slip-resistant-flooring

CNA Financial Corporation published a report outlining the findings of a study on slips and falls.  The study was made up of two parts: a two-year study of hard surface floors in commercial workplaces and a six-year review of slip and fall liability claims.  For the study of hard surface floors, CNA surveyed facilities with public access and common areas.  Half of the facilities were found to have floors that did not produce a dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) level that met the minimum threshold set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).  The six-year review of slip and fall liability claims revealed that claims exist with low severity but high frequency.

After summarizing the findings of the study, the report goes on to list strategies to provide safe flooring for employees and customers.  The four primary strategies are to: select the right flooring; routinely test floors for slip resistance; choose the proper cleaning agents and methods for the flooring; and promote awareness of potential slip and fall hazards.  While all four strategies are discussed, the most time is spent going over selecting proper flooring.

When selecting flooring, several things need to be considered.

  • Material: is the flooring material naturally slip resistant? Is the surface of the material water resistant? Is it new or worn? Is it durable? Is it resistant to chemicals?
  • Care and maintenance: what cleaning products, methods, and equipment are best for that flooring material? Does the business have access to the required materials? Are there any products are methods that damage the floor or permanently lower its slip resistant properties?
  • DCOF: what DCOF does the manufacturer say the flooring material has? Will a coating increase the DCOF? Decrease it?

CNA goes on to list various flooring options along with their benefits and shortcomings.  However, it completely fails to mention metal flooring options.  There are many applications that require some sort of metal flooring option and metal is often slip resistant on its own.  SLIPNOT Metal Safety Flooring manufactures a slip resistant coating for metal flooring. SLIPNOT exceeds all recommendations set by safety regulatory agencies such as: OSHA, ADA, ASTM, NFPA, ANSI, and UL.  SLIPNOT process can be done on a variety of products with various finishing options, allowing for extensive applications in various industries.  You can read case studies of SLIPNOT applications here.

To ensure safe flooring, consider the slip resistance of your flooring options.  If you require metal flooring, consider applying SLIPNOT to provide slip resistance and safety to anyone walking on the flooring.

You can download the full CNA Report here.

Sources: CNA Releases Slip and Fall Study Report, Slip and Fall Study Report: Enhancing Floor Safety through Slip Resistance Testing, Maintenance Protocols and Risk Awareness

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