Welcome to the pocket guide web pages

The pocket guide is designed to assist you with reducing slip accidents and slip injuries in your business. These web pages reflect what is in the pocket guide and will be developed to include more detail and more case studies. We will also be launching a blog where you can exchange ideas for slip prevention. To order free copies of the Pocket Guide to Slip Prevention click here.

Comprehesive Guide Specific to Your Business

If you'd like a comprehensive guide to improving floor safety of every floor in your business then please contact SlipAlert

Slips and falls Rising

The number of slip/fall injuries (on the flat) are rising. Over the last 5 years, major injuries caused by slip/fall accidents has risen year on year. This contrasts with a significant reduction across all other causes of injuries. See shocking slip/fall statistics.

Three Layer Model and Slip Risk

The three layer model is a simple but powerful tool for understanding and managing the overall risk of slipping.

Cerificate of Slip Safety

Slip accidents will be significantly reduced if every floor has a certificate of slip safety. In most other areas of health and safety, you will have trained staff, clear company procedures and certified safety equipment. A floor certificate for slip safety should mirror a fire safety certificate for a building. It will pertain to the use of the floor and will include best and worst measures of slip risk, causes and types of contamination, cleaning method and frequency and also how the floor is used (levels of footfall, types of footwear etc.) As and when things change: e.g. change to the use of the floor, changes to the floor surface, or changes to the cleaning... then the floor safty certificate will be updated.

Slips cost more than you think...

Slip accidents are common and the cost to your business can be high, especially if you mistakenly purchase unsuitable flooring.

Capital Costs

• The cost of unsuitable flooring that results in slip injuries

• The cost of ineffective anti-slip treatments, coatings, or paints

Operational Costs

• Ineffective, inappropriate or wasteful cleaning

• Insurance, legal and admin costs of claims for slip injuries

Hidden Costs

• Slip injuries cause 100,000’s of hospital bed days per year

• Insurance covers only a small part of the overall cost of slipping issues

• Slip injuries can damage your business reputation

Save time and money: learn how to keep your floors free from slipping accidents.

Has someone slipped up?....

Small mistakes or changes can lead to serious costs and slip headaches. An inappropriate floor can be expensive...

Legal Disputes caused by Poor Flooring

Legal disputes after laying an inappropriate floor can be expensive. In extreme cases poor flooring can result in major lawsuits with the building owners, argitects, designers, and flooring contractors all blaning each other or all blaming the operations people and cleaners.

Specify the required slip resistance or pay for the consequences.

Don’t slip up when changing your cleaning

A small change to the cleaning at a shopping mall resulted in several broken bones. Test for slip risk before and after cleaning regime changes.

Change of use... who slipped up

New owners installed a kitchen and canteen near the top of stairs. The floor was unsuitable and dangerous. Change of use: test the floor.

Win-win, no blame and safe floors

If you work together with your in-house or FM Operations teams and measure the slip risk before and after any changes then it will help build trust and faclitate a genuine “no blame” partnership.

Quick and easy slip testing helps you share data and work in partnership with in-house or contract cleaners to keep floors safe.

Safer, greener and lower cost

It is possible to find "green" cleaning. It is also possible to extend the life of many "safe" floors. If you switch to "green" cleaning and then find the floors are slippery you may be the baby out with the bath water. if an old floor is found to be slippery in areas of high footfall you may be jumping to conclusions that it needs replacing. It may be that once applied properly and in a way that suits your floor that your green cleaning is effective at keeping floors slip free.

The ability to measure the slip risk of floors can help you adjust cleaning methods and frequency till they suit your needs. It could make you greener and safer. It will save you money.