| Prevention of Slips and Trips on Wet Tiled Floors |
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Slips and trips resulting in falls are the most common cause of major injuries in all workplaces in Great Britain and the second biggest cause of over-3-day injuries. Slips and trips can occasionally lead directly to fatal accidents. |
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Although previous health and safety legislation had always required action against slips and trips risks, recent regulations have re-emphasised the importance of these measures and shown how to take them. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) regulations 1992 require the floor surface to be suitable by not being ‘slippery so as to expose any person to a risk to their safety’ and for the floor to have ‘effective drainage’. Preventing contamination rather than increasing the slip resistance to counteract it is clearly preferable. However, very small levels of contamination (a single drop in many circumstances) can lead to drastic increases in slipperiness. Prevention of contamination must therefore be very thorough. |
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Options are available to increase the slip resistance of a Tile floor including the replacement of shiny tiles with rough or riven type and the etching of the floor with an acid product to increase its slip resistance. Floor replacement is naturally an expensive option and the Acid Etching can ruin the appearance of an expensive material or highly polished surface such as Granite also the rough surface left behind can trap dirt so what's the answer? |
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Tile Doctor have joined forces with a leading supplier of Anti Slip treatments that increases the surface friction of the floor when wet; it does this with the application of a solution which impregnates the natural pores in the tiles but only becomes activated when wet; advantages include. |
- Anti Slip is a unique safety surfacing treatment for: Ceramic Tiles Quarry Tiles, Granite, Porcelain, Terrazzo and Concrete.
- Anti Slip can be applied with Minimal disruption and downtime and can be walked on immediately following application.
- Anti Slip is effective with a wide variety of footwear and provides outstanding anti-slip properties even where bare feet are concerned.
- Anti Slip increases the coefficient of friction or slip resistance by moisture reaction not by an acid etching process.
- Anti Slip has proven in practical site conditions to reduce the growth of bacteria.
- Anti Slip unlike traditional safety surfacing treatments does not alter the aesthetic appearance or integrity of the substrate however we have noticed that on some polished surfaces a diminishing of the polished effect can occur, this is quite natural as the product is putting a coating of Anti-slip on the top of the tiles and is thus limiting any possible slips and falls that may happen if the tiles become wetted.
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| How Anti Slip Works |
| Anti Slip bonds tenaciously into the pores of natural stone tiled and glazed floors below the surface without effecting the aesthetic appearance or surface integrity of the flooring material. (Diag 2) |
| Anti Slip expands above the surface on contact with moisture to dramatically increases the coefficient of friction or slip resistance(SRV). Even the moisture from a wet shoe or bare foot is enough to activate an instant reaction.(Diag 3) |
Untreated
Surface |
Treated
Surface |
Treated Wet
Surface |
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| Stone/tiled flooring is naturally porous. Water collects, creating a hazardous slippery surface. |
Anti Slip lies below the surface when dry so it is not walked on. |
Anti Slip reacts instantly with moisture creating an outstanding anti slip condition. |
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| Typical Anti Slip installations include: |
| • Swimming Pools • Kitchens • Entrance Ways • Leisure Centres |
| • Production areas • Shopping Malls • Showers • Changing Rooms |
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Tile Doctor is part of a national network of fully trained and authorised independent applicators of the Anti Slip solution providing a professional local service including:
- Site survey and assessment
- Antislip demonstration
- Specification and quotation
- Method statement
- Risk assessment
- Cleaning and maintenance advice
- Warranty
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| Anti Slip products can be ordered on-line via the following page www.TileDoctor.co.uk/TD-Anti-Slip-Solution.asp, alternatively contact us at info@TileDoctor.co.uk or call us on 0845 652 4652 to discuss your requirements. |
Tile Doctor is a Private Limited Company registered in England
and Wales, company number 5722369.
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