It is the bane of many property managers, you want clean, shiny, spotless flooring that you could eat from, but also want to ensure that the flooring is not so shiny that someone slips and injures themselves. Now you are writing an incident report because you wanted the highest standard of glossy flooring.
Yes, clean floors are vital to keep us safe from harmful bacteria and they signify a well-kept establishment, but the health and safety of the people walking on them are just as important. Statistics from the UK’s Health and Safety Executive show that 693,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work (Labour Force Survey 2019/20). Statistics also show that slips, trips, and falls at work account for 29% of all non-fatal injuries (RIDDOR 2019/20). 95% of major slips have caused broken bones, and sadly, slips and trips also account for at least two fatalities a year.
Animations depicting the old slipping-on-a-banana-peel trope may have made the idea of someone slipping and injuring themselves a humorous visual, but it is serious and costs to employers have been recorded as £512 million per year (HSE 2021), this is no laughing matter.
That is why Slip & Shine Tests are vital to any business. So, what are these tests and how are they conducted. Here at London Cleaning Co., we can measure how slippery and how shiny your floor is.
Our Gloss Meter
This is a device used on floors to give a numerical value or percentage of how much of a shine a floor has. This means we can put a value on how clean/shiny we will be able to get your floor to be. We can keep measuring this to ensure we meet agreed targets. The value is measured by projecting a beam of light at a specific intensity and angle onto the surface and measuring the amount of reflected light at an equal but opposite angle. This should be done especially after a floor has been polished and then followed by a slip test.
Our Slip Meter
After you gloss your floors, it is imperative you have the slip risk measured. The Slip Meter is a device used on floors to measure how slippery a floor is or more technically how easy it is to slip over it. This will help monitor how effective your cleaning regime is and prevent serious slip accidents. Keeping a record of these tests, also protects you if an accident is to occur to show you have done your due diligence to ensure your floors are safe. You should always have the floors tested after polishing or coating your flooring, if chemical spills on them or if you change the type of flooring you have. It is also good practice to test your floors whenever there is an accident or near fall, to check if you need to readjust the amount of shine you are applying to your floors.
We offer gloss and slip tests for free to check a floor and work out how we can improve it to your preference both visually and safely. To book your free demonstration Call 02081232055 or email info@londoncleaningco.com.