Choosing the right anti slip flooring for your workplace
So, you’ve gone in to business, or your premises has unfortunately fallen behind with the times and you notice some areas are a possible health & safety risk, has potential hot spots for injuries and is about to be condemned by the health & safety authorities.
There are many options available in this day and age for suitable slip prevention, choosing the right one can not only prevent many accidents, but also save time and money.
Acid Etching
Using a solution of hydrofluoric acid which is poured on to a floor surface, this will eat away the top layer, leaving a rough, yet invisible to the naked eye, anti slip flooring with many tiny holes on the surface.
There are many downsides to this though, as acid etching removes the top layer, which usually protects the flooring from wear. With this gone, the floor is less durable and likely to need replacing quicker. Those tiny holes will also fill with dirt, meaning that the once anti slip surface is nowhere near as effective as it once was and depending on the type of dirt, can even become as slippery as it was previously.
Mix this with temporary downtime, mainly due to fumes, and the recommendation of many who champion this method to clean the surface using floor cleaner with an additional part of hydrofluoric acid, and you have another health and safety issue to consider.
Anti Slip Paint
Anti slip paint is nowadays usually an epoxy resin floor coating with particles added to it. Once dry, this is a hard wearing, anti slip surface that can cope very well under heavy traffic.
In the early days, it was a case of adding sand to paint, and applying that to a surface and wait for it to dry.
While the technology has allowed the product to be more efficient in terms of performance, downtime is still a major issue with many companies, who simply can’t afford to halt production in areas for the time needed to apply anti slip floor paint, and doing it in sections is very, very time consuming. Anti slip paint is a product more suited to businesses who are moving premises or starting up, in which case they can make sure the building is up to standard before moving in and resuming/beginning production.
Anti Slip Tape
Anti slip tape in high quality cases is an adhesive backed plastic carrier coated in abrasive minerals. Anti slip tape is available in different widths, lengths, grades ( the term for how coarse the abrasive coating is ). The best association for people who don’t know what it looks like is simply skateboard grip tape or sandpaper.
Todays technology has allowed anti slip tape to be created in various forms, including non abrasive versions for use in wet or high hygiene areas, as using a non abrasive, non slip tape in these environments makes cleaning easier, and prevents the build up of bacteria.
With Anti slip tape, downtime is minimal, and as soon as it is applied, it is ready for use, with ancillaries, such as surface primer and edge fix, available to aid the durability of the application. These do require a little extra downtime, but depending on the surface you are applying to and the traffic use, it would be wise to spend a bit more time applying the anti slip tape with ancillaries if required as this will save you time and money in the long run.
With the options available, ensuring your premises meets health and safety regulations and has the correct slip prevention measures in place to prevent injury to you or your employees is paramount above all else.
Author:
Chris Meacher is the E-Content Manager for Heskins Ltd, a manufacturer of a wide range of anti slip tape and line marking materials.
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