Slips, trips and falls account for around 10,000 workplace injuries in the UK every single year. We’ve all seen the barrage of compensation commercials on the TV so it’s safe to say having someone slip on your floor can prove very costly indeed.
However, you can significantly reduce the risk of someone slipping on your floor by ensuring it’s regularly cleaned. The chances of someone falling on a clean, dry floor are slim and you won’t be liable if there are no health and safety hazards present.
Floor contamination on the other hand, significantly increases the risk of a slip, trip or fall. So it’s important to keep your floor safe by ensuring it’s always clean.
Here’s some tips on how to effectively clean your work floor and avoid any mishaps.
Be proactive
Accidental spillages occur in every workplace. Sure, there are steps you can take to minimise the risk but at some point, they’re going to happen. The best thing you can do is ensure that they are cleaned up ASAP. Having cleaners perform regular sweeps of the building, or simple spot checks can help you stay on top of any spillages. If you don’t have cleaners, ensure other employees know it is their responsibility to clean up spillages and give appropriate training where necessary.
Clean smartly
A mop is a great way to effectively clean up spillages, but it isn’t wise to leave floors dripping wet as they can take hours to dry and the water can be a bigger health and safety risk than the spillage as it’s clear and often goes unnoticed. Use only enough water to clean up the spillage, always use a wet floor sign, and ensure water from the mop doesn’t leave a drip trail as you clean. Also always ensure you’re using the right type of cleaning equipment for each individual spillage.
Have the right cleaning equipment
It isn’t enough to just have a generic cleaner and a mop. There’s so much to include in your cleaning arsenal to ensure you can effectively clean up any kind of spillage and on any kind of floor. For example, if there is a grease or oil-based spillage, you must use a detergent and not just water. In an industrial setting, it’s also wise to have industrial cleaners at your disposal. For example, steam cleaners, scrubber dryers and professional vacuum cleaners. You don’t have to buy these costly machines either – you can simply hire them for a more cost-effective solution. To hire industrial cleaning equipment and ensure your floors are safe, contact us at Kärcher Hire today.
