Many companies are losing their good employee’s due to retirement.  According to Occupational Health & Safety, every seven seconds in the United States, someone turns 61, raising concern among management of losing talented workers.  However, due to the economy and diminishment of 401K savings and social security, many employees are reconsidering retirement.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics says about 95 percent of Americans over 65 are willing to continue working full or part time.

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Installing non-slip expanded over slippery floorings is a time and cost effective way of incorporating safety into any environment.  Expanded metal by definition is an “open mesh of metal produced by stamping out alternative slots in sheet metal and then stretching it to an open pattern.”  It is easily fabricated to different sizes/shapes and can be bent to retrofit to fit specific environments.  By adding a non-slip surface to the expanded metal instant safety is created.

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Preventing slip and fall accidents in public buildings is crucial.  The Dundee City Council office building, located in the United Kingdom, is undertaking a new project in replacing the flooring throughout their facility.  Numerous staff members have reported slip and fall accidents in areas of the facility and at least one staff member has been taken to the hospital with a serious leg injury.  Construction is underway on each alternate floor to replace the existing slick flooring.  By alternating the construction, the building will be allowed to remain open and functioning. 

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You may think slip and falls occur most on ramps or steps, but surprisingly they happen on flat walking surfaces where high traffic is prevalent.  Slip and falls are not only dangerous to pedestrians, but can be fatal.  There are more than 20,000 fatalities per year in the United States, resulting in roughly 55 per day.  Beyond being dangerous, slip and falls can be extremely costly.  According to the National Council on Compensation, the annual cost of disabling occupational injuries due to slip and falls exceed $11 billion.

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Slip and fall accidents are repeatedly occurring throughout American businesses on a daily basis; costing a fortune in lost productivity, workers’ compensation insurance and other expenses.  Health care alone costs $37 billion each year.  The high record of slip and falls are considered the number one enemy in the work place; although they are the easiest accident to prevent.  Many businesses take pride in their clean, shiny floors, due to the aesthetic appeal.  But what they don’t realize is that once contaminants are combined with the smooth flooring, accidents are bound to happen. Before choosing flooring for your company you should ask yourself the following:

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Grain handling facilities consist of grain elevators, feed mills, dust palletizing plants, dry corn mills, soybean flaking operations, flour and rice mills and dry grinding operations of soycake.  These operations have lead to many health and safety hazards. The two leading causes of deaths in these operational facilities are suffocation from the amount of airborne grain dust, confined spaces and falls from the slippery flooring around machinery.  Employees would benefit from a non-slip floor around the slick areas.

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Many flooring issues should be addressed at your facility.  What is the nature of the area?  Are there chemicals or oils prevalent?  Are the slippery problems occasional or chronic?  What type of application is it?  Matching your flooring surface to your environment is crucial to your companies’ safety. 

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According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), supermarkets and grocery stores pay $450 million in legal settlements each year due to slip and falls.  Grocery store slip and falls often occur from spilled liquids, leaks or loose items.  They usually take place in crowded entryways where water is being tracked into the store, for example the produce section which is constantly being sprayed down and the refrigerated areas where there may be leaking equipment.  In addition to the slick environments, most supermarkets apply high polish to the floors making it hard to detect stray liquids.  It’s the supermarkets obligation to provide safer walking areas for employees and customers.  By closing off unsafe and slippery areas with cones or having employees point out danger zones to customers, there must be some sort of action taken.  If a slip and fall is unavoidable, you must report it to a member of the staff as soon as possible.

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Accidental falls are the leading injury-related visits to the ER.  Almost 9 million visits occur each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The Home Safety Council (HSC) states that 33 percent of deaths and 40 percent of nonfatal injuries occur within people’s homes.  These falls may happen anywhere, anytime. The two age groups which are at highest risk are children under 5 and older adults over 70.  Many physicians suggest removing clutter in your home, making sure hallways and staircases are well lit, repairing loose stairway carpeting or boards and adding padding to play areas.

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