by Shane Henson — January 15, 2014—Slips and fall can occur throughout the year, but as facilities managers know, the ice and rain common in the winter months make the potential for such accidents even more likely, as well as presenting additional cleaning and maintenance challenges.
According to G&K Services, a provider of branded uniform and facility services programs, the inclement weather does increase safety concerns, especially the potential for slips, trips and falls in the workplace. The National Safety Council estimates that over nine million slip-and-fall incidents occur in the United States each year. These accidents most often occur on wet and dirty surfaces. Floor mat programs provide an effective solution for businesses to eliminate these hazards by trapping excess water and dirt before it enters their building, says G&K Services.
To prevent slips and falls, the company recommends facilities managers identify the high-traffic areas in their buildings where employees and customers are likely to track in the most moisture and dirt. Ensure that each space is adequately covered with mats to promote safety and a clean appearance. For many businesses, the front and back entrances are the highest-traffic areas, the company notes.
Scraper mats at the entrance of a building help trap water and reduce slippery spots. The molded surface on these mats offers superior slip and skid resistance, which can effectively scrape tough dirt and grime off of shoes. Meanwhile, a carpeted mat helps trap dirt as people enter the building and holds its weight in soil, helping keep facilities clean. Entrance matting should cover 15 to 18 feet of an entrance, preventing 80 to 90 percent of dirt from entering a facility.
G&K Services also says to look for floor mats that are certified as “high traction” by the National Floor Safety Institute. These mats have been evaluated by an independent third-party to ensure slip resistance. Facilities managers should also review the American National Standards Institute’s Standard Guide for Commercial Entrance Matting in Reducing Slips, Trips and Falls, ANSI/NFSI B101.6-2012. This standard provides criteria for the selection, installation, inspection, care and maintenance of entrance mats and runners in commercial facilities.
Those in the market for floor mat rentals can find suitable products through G&K Services, which offers a full range of floor mat solutions. G&K Services picks up the soiled mats and delivers professionally laundered clean mats, the company says.
