Slippery floors can cause serious injury from accidental falls. Tiled floors, especially those laid with ceramic tiles can become very slippery when wet, and can be a serious fall hazard even when dry.
Unfortunately, a major factor is ignored by customers when selecting tiles for their floors. Characteristics such as colour, shape and size are examined in detail, but the Coefficient of Friction (COF) is rarely taken into consideration. Wet or dry, this slip factor should be paramount in the decision making process.
Similar to the surface of a wet road, tiles exposed to water pose a real risk to personal safety. Unlike car tyres with their unique tread pattern, which is specifically designed to displace water and maintain the highest possible COF, when human feet come into contact with wet tiles, there is nowhere for the water to go. Even with most shoe treads, this thin layer of water acts like a lubricant and can lead to a very nasty fall/ slip injury.
Monash University Accident Research Centre has determined that up to 81% of slip related injuries among the elderly come from low friction or wet floor surfaces.
Friction Systems Australia provides non-slip solutions for wet areas, bathrooms, laundries, kitchens, workshops, public areas, shopping areas, access ramps, pool paving and stairs, helping to reduce the risk of slip injury, expensive litigation and WorkCover claims.
The COF for wet area surfaces should be >0.50, prior to any treatment. Friction Systems Australia will test and provide the best possible solution from their product range to achieve the desired result.
