Why is slip resistant flooring important?
In today’s economy, buyers have many choices to consider when browsing all of the flooring solutions available in the marketplace. With the wide array of features available for interior and exterior flooring options, it can be hard to understand which features provide the best benefits. In this article, we’ll focus on the important safety features of non slip flooring and anti slip floor coatings, and how these anti slip solutions can be further enhanced by the addition of antimicrobial technology.
Slip fall accidents in the workplace and public places cost employers and companies billions of dollars each year. The National Safety Council estimates that workers’ compensation and medical costs associated with employee slip-and-fall accidents are approximately $70 billion annually. According to a recent article published by Arbill, most general industry accidents involve slips, trips, and falls, causing 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities! The elderly population also suffers tremendously from dangerous falls. The National Council on Aging cites that one in four people over the age of 65 in the United States falls each year, and that every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall. Even more tragic, every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. These statistics begin to illustrate the importance of slip resistant flooring in commercial environments, healthcare settings, food service facilities and residential homes for older adults just to name a few.
Even if a serious injury does not occur, falling frequently for seniors can have a damaging impact on quality of life. The growing fear of falling in senior citizens results in more limited activities and social outings, which contributes to further physical decline, depression, social isolation, and feelings of helplessness. Seniors and non-seniors alike should feel empowered and safe in their surroundings at home and in public spaces. Non slip floor coatings are one of the best solutions to this dangerous problem.
What is a non slip floor coating?
A non slip floor coating is a protective coating that is applied or manufactured into the top layer of flooring products to create a non slippery, non skid, or slip resistant flooring surface. These coatings come in many varieties ranging from off the shelf DIY spray applications to roll on floor paint to fully manufactured non slip flooring products such as vinyl flooring and luxury vinyl. These anti slip floor applications can also be applied to materials such as concrete.
Non slip floor coatings can be manufactured in many ways to create textured surfaces that contain particles of material suspended in resins like epoxy or polyurethane. Using very small particles of sand, rubber, glass, aluminum, or other polymers help to create textures within the mixture the coating. These textures can range from bumpy and nappy to grippy to create traction when walking. The desired effect is subjective and up to the manufacturer.
Why including antimicrobial technology into anti slip coating solutions is important.
While the National Safety Council provides some specific guidance on how to prevent slips and falls in the workplace, at Microban we suggest a long lasting proactive solution to the problem that works in all environments and applications. By including Microban antimicrobial technology into anti slip coating products, manufacturers and end users can enjoy many added benefits of an enhanced coating that include:
- Better durability and longer product life
- An easy to clean coating that stays cleaner in between cleanings
- The absence of bacteria and mold growth
- A competitive advantage from the world’s leading brand in antimicrobial technology
Microban technologies achieve these added benefits by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria, mold, and mildew on product surfaces. The growth of these microbes can damage and stain produts while causing foul odors. The beauty of Microban antimicrobial technology is that it doesn’t wash off or wear way. Our technology becomes a permanent part of the coating that will last the useful lifetime of the product. Many industry leaders have already partnered with Microban to create superior coating products, like Buckeye International. Click here to learn more about Buckeye Clarion 25 floor finish with Microban® technology.
Contact a member of the Microban team today to learn more about our technologies and the many applications, environments, and industries that we partner with.
