If you own commercial premises, you need to adhere to HSE (the Health and Safety Executive) regulations.
The HSE offers advice and guidance for all types of businesses. Their advice on flooring can be found on the HSE Gov website.
In brief, the three main points to consider are as follows:
• The floor in a workplace must be suitable for the type of work activity taking place on it.
• The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 requires floors to be suitable, in good condition and free from obstructions. People should be able to move around safely.
• Where a floor is likely to be subject to frequent contamination, people should still be able to walk on it without the risk of slipping.
Is your current flooring fit for purpose?
If you’re concerned about the suitability of your flooring, then your first step should be to carry out a review based on the above guidelines.
Are your staff, customers, and visitors able to walk around free from obstructions? Is the floor subject to contamination of any sort, e.g., water or oil spillages? Is there a high or low risk of tripping or slipping?
If you’re experiencing problems with your current flooring, identify why these are occurring.
Is your flooring suitable for workplace activities?
HSE legislation requires flooring in a workplace to be suitable for the type of work activity taking place on it.
In some commercial settings, more than one activity may be taking place. The flooring must cater for each workplace activity and offer a safe environment for each person carrying out their task.
Slips, trips, and falls are the most common workplace accidents. Keeping your flooring clear of obstructions will help stop trips and falls.
Choosing the right type of flooring solution is the most important thing you can do to prevent slippages. Using the latest technology, specialist flooring manufacturers have been able to develop safety and non-slip flooring that tackles a range of workplace issues.
Do you need specialist flooring?
In commercial premises such as cafes, bars, and restaurants, spillages are commonplace – and these types of catering environments are usually busy places with a high footfall.
To prevent slippages following water, food and drink, or grease spillages, you need a floor covering that has been designed to offer a slip-resistant surface in the most extreme conditions. In addition, your flooring should have anti-bacterial qualities and provide a hygienic, easy-to-clean surface.
Specialist flooring manufacturers now use the latest production techniques to give their flooring a texture that can repel workplace contaminants – and that includes water and oil-based spillages.
Other specialist commercial environments include swimming pools, spas and other leisure and recreational facilities. In areas that are constantly wet, you need a specialist floor covering that’s waterproof, slip-resistant, and safe underfoot.
Our range of specialist non-slip and safety flooring products
1st Choice Flooring Solutions offers a range of non-slip safety flooring from leading manufacturers. Brands we supply include Karndean, Amtico, Kahrs, Polyflor, Altro, Burmatex, Fball, Uzine, Ardex and many more.
Our quality commercial floor solutions include safety vinyl, click vinyl, luxury vinyl tiles and planks, carpet tiles, entrance matting, rubber and more from leading brands in the commercial flooring industry.
Many of our commercial flooring products come with a slip-resistance guarantee. Our products offer other features such as stain-resistance, anti-bacterial properties, and have been developed to withstand extreme temperatures and high levels of activity.
Do you need advice on the best flooring solution for your business?
We understand the needs of our commercial flooring clients and are happy to install your new flooring out of hours if required to cause minimal disruption to your business.
All of our work is carried out to the highest standard by experienced, DBS-checked and CSCS-certified flooring fitters.
To discover the perfect flooring solutions for your business, call us on 01902 681 522 or email: info@1stchoiceflooringsolutionsltd.co.uk