Slip and fall accidents happen all the time. But why suffer the aftereffects when you can do something to prevent them? We may not be armed with the foresight of Apollo or the Celtic Druids, but with a bit of common sense and some knowledge; we can minimise the likelihood of slip and fall accidents from happening in our homes and offices.

Here are five simple actions we often ignore that could easily prevent these mishaps.

• Clear Up Cluttered Floors

Cluttered floors can cause trips and falls easily. Loose footwear, clothing, children’s toys, piles of magazines or books, school bags and more are some of the things that could trigger a tumble. In most offices, walkways and hallways are often kept clutter free. However, there are chances wherein bad office furniture arrangement can cause these accidents instead.

• Increase Lighting where it is Inadequate or Unsuitable

Walking blindly in the dark can easily result to bumps, trips and falls if you’re not careful. It’s the same if poor lighting is placed in an area. Passageways, stairs, the bathroom or the kitchen should have sufficient lighting. These are the busiest areas at home and even in offices. With good lighting, people can clearly see where they are going, minimising accidents from happening.

• Toss Out Unsafe Floor Mats & Rugs

Using mats and rugs equipped with non-skid matting is best. Generally, companies are advised to use water absorbent matting right at the entrance to reduce the chances of water from traipsing in, especially if it rains. There’s no specified matting length given, but ideally it should be long enough to ensure that the feet or sole of the shoes are fully dry when employees or people step off the mat and onto the floor. You can read more about this topic right here. You can also lessen the likelihood of mishaps at entry foyers in offices or buildings by conducting proper floor slip testing. Meanwhile, at home, bathroom, living room or kitchen floor mats with a rubber backside are best to use.

• Provide Caution on Wet or Slippery Floors

Another immediate measure to take is to place a sign that a floor is wet or slippery. This is normally seen in office buildings, malls, restaurants or areas with heavy traffic and slippery floor surfaces. This might seem like common sense, but there are still companies that fail to offer a notice which may assist in highlighting the hazard when it is not obvious to a pedestrian. Facility or property managers are responsible in ensuring that such warnings are given, and that their building or property undergo proper slip resistance testing to prevent general mishaps from occurring.

• Repair or Fix Uneven Flooring

Uneven flooring is another reason why slips, trips and falls occur. Problems like this can be prevented when appropriate independent slip testing services are employed from the onset. Thorough tests should be done by experts to determine floor safety in crucial parts of the building.

Minimising these hazards can be tedious, but it is possible. It starts with running a reliable slip test to ensure areas in your home or office are kept safe from these accidents.

With Slip Check, you can be completely safe from slips. We are an accredited slip resistance testing facility that you can trust. Certified by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), our experts not only conduct tests but strive to understand and interpret the science behind slip resistance testing.

If you need an independent slip testing company to help you with a test report for your cleaning contract; for compliance to a building code; or need the help of an expert for consultation about the strength and weaknesses of your case in a litigation proceeding; we can help you.

Call us at (02) 9621 3706 if you’re in Sydney. For Melbourne residents, dial (03) 9604 0700. You can also get in touch with us by filling out our enquiry form.

Let us help you with all of your slip testing needs.