Preventing Slips & Falls on Wet Floors

There are many causes of wet floors, including mopping, melting snow, condensation, leaking pipes, and of course spills. Wet floors are a common problem that can damage the floor itself, but they can also be one of the biggest dangers in your workplace or home.

Wet floors are a major cause of slip and fall accidents, and falls can be deadly.  In fact, some reports have cited that up to 15% of all accidental deaths are caused by trip, slip and fall accidents.  Over 540,000 slip-fall injuries requiring hospital care occur in North America each year, accounting for over 300,000 disabling injuries per year.  The danger to seniors is particularly alarming, with one in three serious bone breaks for seniors resulting in death within one year of the accident.  According to the 2006 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, the annual direct cost of disabling occupational injuries due to slips, trips and falls is estimated to exceed $11 billion.

Because wet floors can be dangerous, as well as potentially damaging to the floor itself, they should be taken care of quickly. The following are five things that can help you take care of wet floors and prevent costly injuries and accidents:

1. Safety cones and A-frame safety signs can help alert customers and employees to slip and fall hazards.  You should have these safety items on hand to keep people safe, and to keep your business in compliance  with ANSI ad OSHA standards.
2. Chamois cloths and paper towels are absorbent and can be used to clean up small spills quickly, or to dry floors that are damp after mopping.
3. Mops and mop buckets are important to keep on hand for cleaning up larger spills, and for general purpose floor cleaning.
4. Wet and dry vacuums can make short work of puddles from broken pipes and large spills.

A small investment in safety signs and clean up supplies will help you manage wet floors and prevent accidents.  Your customers and employees will thank you for it.