Protect Facility Floors During the Winter

Protect Facility Floors During the Winter

The flooring, matting, and carpets in commercial facilities are subject to an increase in mud and soil during the winter months, which erode the look and performance of the surfaces or fibers, which can contribute to increased health and safety risks.

Protect Facility Floors During the Winter

The Importance of Winter Facility Floor Maintenance

Increased indoor foot traffic combined with the water and mud created during inclement weather can result in premature wear and tear on the flooring in commercial facilities.

Additionally, the moisture from rain or snowmelt, when tracked inside a building, can result in slip and fall hazards--a significant health and safety challenge for public facility managers and business owners, resulting in tens of thousands of preventable deaths, millions of dollars in injuries, and billions of dollars in compensation and medical expenses each year.

According to the National Floor Safet Institution:

  • 85% of worker’s compensation claims are attributed to employees slipping on slick floors (Industrial Safety & Occupational Health Markets 5th edition).
  • 22% of slip/fall incidents resulted in more than 31 days away from work (US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2002).
  • Compensation & medical costs associated with employee slip/fall accidents is approximately $70 billion annually (National Safety Council Injury Facts 2003 edition).
  • Occupational fatalities due to falls are approximately 600 per year -- down from 1,200 since the 1970s.
  • Total injuries due to falls estimated at $13-14 million per year in U.S. Falls are the number one cause of accidental injury, resulting in 20.8 percent of all emergency room visits in 1995. (Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 11.9 percent of ER visits.)
  • Disabling (temporary and permanent) occupational injuries due to falls are approximately $250,000-$300,000 per year.
  • Falls represent 40% of all nursing home admissions and are the sixth leading cause of death among people aged 70 years or older.
  • Falls account for over 8 million hospital emergency room visits, representing the leading cause of visits (21.3%). Slips and falls account for over 1 million visits or 12% of total falls.
  • Slips and falls do not constitute a primary cause of fatal occupational injuries, but represent the primary cause of lost days from work.
  • According to the CDC, in 2005, more than 15,000 people over the age of 65 died as a result of a fall. Up from 7,700 a decade earlier.
  • The CDC also reports that approximately 1.8 million people over the age of 65 were treated in an emergency room as a result of a fall.
  • For people aged 65-84 years, falls are the second leading cause of injury-related death; for those aged 85 years or older, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death.

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Five Tips to Protect Facility Floors in the Winter

Essential methods for protecting facility floors and occupants include:

  • Implementing comprehensive matting protection - Entryway and walkway matting strategies significantly reduce flooring wear and tear and help prevent slip and fall accidents as long as the mats are properly cared for.
  • Clean the floors at least once per day - Sweeping and mopping hard floors and vacuuming carpets and rugs at least once per day will eliminate soil and other toxins brought in from the outside that can result in occupant health issues, damage the built environment, increase flooring wear and tear, and contribute to possible slip and fall accidents.
  • Periodically deep clean - Periodic deep floor cleaning removes soil buildup in carpet fibers and restores hard floors to a "like-new" shine.
  • Use proper chemicals and trained workers - Few things can damage a beautiful floor or put your occupants at risk as fast as using the wrong kinds of chemicals, incorrect equipment, or untrained workers to service the surfaces, so make certain to invest intelligently early on.
  • Partner with experts - Partnering with experts in cleaning, floor care, and matting will ensure your investment, business, customers, and workers are receiving the best possible protection from trained and dedicated service providers without the complications of managing an in-house custodial department.

 

Takeaway

Protecting facility flooring is crucial for protecting the built environment, the financial investment into the facility, and the health and safety of building occupants.

Leveraging the skills and experience of experts will significantly reduce the cost and frustration associated with common floor care and cleaning challenges, especially if the wrong products or equipment are used.

Outsourcing is a proven method for quickly onboarding highly in-demand custodial and facilities maintenance services at a fraction of the cost of managing a similar service in-house.

If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!

In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253

In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059

In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253

In Palmdale, CA or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756


Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Southern Valley

Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Southern Valley