Floor Cleaning and its impact on Slips and Trips

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Floor Cleaning and its impact on Slips and
Trips
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Slip and Trip Potential Model
Environment
People
Contamination obstacles
Slip and Trip Potential
Footwear
Floor
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• Identifying management problems
• No-one available when contamination levels are at
  their worse or to clean up spills
• Cleaners dont know who to report problems to, or
  cleaning equipment is badly maintained.
• Cleaners dont know how to change settings and
  cleaning heads etc.
• The floor has changed but the cleaning technique
  is the same

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• An effective management system should include-
• Procedures for maintenance of floors and
  equipment
• 2. Appropriate training and supervision
• 3. Effective communications at all levels
• 4. Procedures that ensure the correct cleaning
  regimes are chosen and are undertaken at the
  right time
• 5. A monitor and review system for above

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• Contamination and cleaning,
• what to look for?
• Spillages and contamination on the floors
• Wet mopping of small spills
• Scrubber dryer leaves a trail of water
• Use of a squeegee to remove excess water after
  wet cleaning.
• The brushing up of dusty contamination.
• Floor feels slippery or looks contaminated or
  dirty, even though cleaning was recently carried
  out.

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Contamination and cleaning, what to ask.

1. Can contamination be stopped from reaching the
   floor?
2. What type of cleaning products and equipment are
   being used?
3. Is the cleaning method causing other health
   risks?
4. Is there an effective maintenance system for
   cleaning equipment?
5. How often is cleaning carried out?
6. How are spills removed?
7. How rough is the floor?
8. Are the cleaners trained and adequately
   supervised?

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• Use of cones and warning signs
• Restrict pedestrians from walking across a smooth
  floor that has been wet cleaned, until the floor
  is totally dry.
• Signs can be an effective means of informing
  people of a spill, only if the spill is visible

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• Preventing trip hazards
• Promote the use of battery-operated equipment.
• Reduce the operating length of the cable or cover
  it.
• Use during quiet times or outside of normal work
  hours.
• Cleaning equipment not to be left unattended,
  should be disconnected and safely stored when not
  in use.
• Monitor cleaners to ensure they are following
  work and storage procedures.
• Check reporting procedures are in place

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Summary of key messages

1. Effective cleaning requires a good management
   system
2. Cleaning can create slip and trip hazards
3. Stop pedestrian access to smooth wet floors
4. Floor contamination should be removed effectively