Slips and Falls - Non-Slip and Anti-Slip Floor Safety Options

Slips and falls are the #1 cause of accidents in homes, hotels, restaurants and public buildings. Surprisingly, 70% of these accidents occur on flat and level surfaces.

When tiles become wet from rain, foot traffic, dripping umbrellas, or during cleaning, they can become very slippery increasing the risk of a slip and fall accident.

There are three types of treatments available in the market:

1. Floor Etches are an aggressive non-slip treatment that is not recommended for fine surfaces such as ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, granite, marble or slate floors. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly, floor etches can make floors dull, change their colour and make the floor difficult to clean. The abrasive texture of the floor following etching is rough collects dirt and is not easily removed by normal cleaning regime. This type of treatment may be suitable for concrete floors where appearance and cleanability are not an issue.

2. Floor Coatings can be used on a wide range of surfaces and, as the name suggests, they are a topical application. To create a non-slip floor, a coating is applied to the floor into which a slip resistant material is mixed or broadcast. There are a number of materials that are used to create slip resistance but the most important component is the coating. High quality coatings will ‘protect’ the slip resistant particles whereas coatings of a lesser quality will allow the particles to wear and the floor will become slippery again in the short term.

3. Floor Modifications create a permanent change to the floor to make it nonslip. Like coatings, it is essential to do your homework so that the correct modification is utilised. Treatments vary dramatically in regards to the slip resistance achieved as well as the floors appearance and cleanability.

4. Anti-Slip Tapes are a topical solution that provides slip resistance. Available in marine grade (for wet areas) or standard abrasive, the tapes are a low-cost solution for the home or business.
A floor safety expert should be called in to assess any floor areas that are considered to be slippery. Trained personnel can measure the slip resistance of the floor, make suggestions in regards to the best floor safety treatment, and provide a floor safety report.

Grip Guard Floor Safety has been providing floor safety advice and treatments to homeowners and businesses for over 15 years. Technicians are available in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Mackay, Townsville and selected regional areas as well as New Zealand.