Thursday 16 July 2015

Reassess Your Flooring in Light of Problems

Have you experienced a recent injury or unsettling compensation claim? In many dangerous workplaces or public spaces, slippery flooring and stairs are to blame. In the aftermath of a situation, the first thing to evaluate is the state of your floors and whether your current stair treads are in dependable condition.


Slipping down the stairs is a common problem, and there are thousands of incidences in Australia every year. Some are fatal, some result in serious injury, and some of the lucky ones comes out of it relatively unscathed. Even a minor slip should be a red flag warning you of the possibility of future falls and should warrant immediate action. Trips can result in any number of injuries, from cuts and bruises to torn ligaments, twisted ankles, broken bones, whiplash and head injuries.

Should and employee, customer or public pedestrian file a claim, it is possible that you as the owner are responsible and can be charged for negligence. Remember that trips on a flight of stairs are not your only worry. It is just as likely that people will hurt themselves on a single stair, curb or ledge that they misjudge or just plainly don’t see.

Tripping on the stairs can occur for a number of reasons. First of all, the person in question is wearing inappropriate footwear. While we are not likely to take off high heels every time we want to climb the stairs, wearing such footwear should be reason enough to take extra time and care when climbing the stairs, including holding onto the hand rail. That brings us to the second big factor, which is rushing. Typical stairs are only just wide enough for a foot to be placed on, and just a slight misjudgement can cause the foot to loose traction or slip off the edge of the riser. Finally, they may simply be thinking of other things and not paying attention.

If your stairs are as safe as possible and people still trip, then it is not your fault. However, you must make a conscious effort to evaluate your situation following and accident and determine which of these factors was the likely cause of the fall, and whether there is any more you can do. Unanchored rugs or mats in indoor areas are a notorious cause of trips and tumbles. If you have chosen to lay rubber matting to improve stability and grip, then it must be secured.

Stair treads are a requirement in many public spaces and on certain indoor commercial or industrial surfaces. While highly durable, after a number of years these devices will eventually wear down such that they need replacing. When choosing a replacement design, you will want to ensure that the choice in question is suitable for your conditions. There are different types available for wet and dry, or greasy conditions.

You will also need to look at contrast. Was the contrast on your old tread adequate? It is recommended that tread be installed that contrasts significantly to the background flooring or stair material. As well as providing grip, the tread can indicate loud and clear where the edge of the stair is located. When it comes to physically replacing the treads, ensure that either the business or area is closed or cordoned off. You may need to arrange an alternative access point for customers or pedestrians. For added safety, you may also wish to apply an anti slip floor treatment on certain floorings such as tile or concrete which can give the surface more grip without impacting the appearance.

Get in touch with Step Solve at http://stepsolve.com.au/ to discuss how their affordable stair treads could be the solution for your business.

No comments:

Post a Comment