Flooring accidents mainly slips and slides are more common nowadays with the introduction of laminate and wood flooring together with poor up-keeping. In most cases the results will amount to a light bruise which will disappear after a few days, however for the elderly and those with a walking disability the results might prove far more serious. To prevent flooring related accidents, follow up on our simple tips below.
Prevention - When choosing the right floor for your home or work place, ask yourself which material is the safest for your needs and the type of foot traffic the floor will cope with. While laminate, wood flooring and even carpets might look fantastic, other materials such as tile PVC flooring with anti-slip technology will prove extremely grippe making it a more sensible choice.
Be Prepared – In case you have recognized areas which have a high likelihood of becoming slippery such as the bathroom area, consider using anti slip add-ons such as self adhesive safety tapes and grippe mats to cover parts of the floor.
Cleanliness - A few types of floor coatings might be more receptive to becoming a slippery surface leading to unsafe environment, especially when poor maintenance is applied. In addition, use of low grade cleaning chemicals and those with oily residue properties might make the floor slippery. In many cases there’s really no need for cleaning chemicals, regular mopping with a damp mop will work for most floors, however if you do decide to use chemicals make sure that the right cleaning chemicals which are specifically made for your type of floor are used.
Hygienic safety – Although hygienic safety isn’t regarded as a flooring accident, the results from poor hygienic practices will have serious results. The key so prevent such concerns is to hoover or brush the floor on a daily basis and use fresh cleaning supplies.
Re-coating Advice – A few types of wooden flooring such as solid wood floors will allow you to re-coat the floor, thereby increasing its longevity. This process will also make the floor extra slippery for a while and should be done when no one is home.
