Cleaner is safer

Cleaner floors are safer floors. Last year around 7,600 people experienced slips, trips and same-level falls in the workplace resulting in serious injuries such as broken bones. Over 13,000 people had similar accidents that caused them to have at least seven days off work.

These injuries are still among the most common in the workplace and the consequences can be severe for all involved: they cause suffering to the injured, disruption for employers and in extreme cases legal action against those held responsible. One of the biggest factors in these accidents is contamination on floors and this is more likely during winter when rain and snow outside increase the risk of dirt and water being brought inside.

It follows that improved cleaning and floor care can play significant role in reducing the risk of slip and trip accidents. In most settings, the area immediately inside the entrance will be at biggest risk because everyone using the building will pass through. All busy areas should be cleaned routinely and regularly during the day to keep them clean. Puddles and spills should ideally be removed as soon as they occur. A mop and bucket kept close at hand might be useful but this method tends to spread contaminants over a wider area and leave a thin film of liquid that actually increases the overall risk. Instead, the latest-generation compact mains or battery-powered scrubber driers will be faster, more effective and leave the floor dry and ready to use again right away.

In practice, good floorcare should be practised all year round. In addition to creating a safer environment there are some other good reasons for keeping floors clean. Regular cleaning will maintain, and can even improve, the appearance of any area.

The choice of floorcare products, tools and equipment can bewilder even the most experienced cleaning professional. But introducing innovations can often save time and money. The latest scrubber driers – including robots – also present new possibilities in terms of speed, efficiency and results. These can be used with brushes and pads for every type of floor.

Microfibre cloths and mops are an efficient alternative to mop-and-bucket cleaning that enable new ways of cleaning floors and other surfaces, with better results, improved hygiene and reduced reliance on chemicals to promote simpler and sustainable processes. Advanced floorcare formulations for use with mops, applicators and machines can replace traditional products to reduce the number of coatings and minimise or even eliminate the need for intermittent stripping.