As the name
suggests, non-slip flooring is designed to minimise slippage when moving
around. This has a range of practical benefits in certain industries,
specifically where the safety of your employees, students and guests are made a
priority.
Despite non-slip
flooring usually being applied to a certain type of industrial flooring made to
be non-slip - there are many other types of flooring that has anti-slip
properties. For instance, carpets, wooden floors, vinyl floors and rubber
floors. What’s more, anti-slip floors are becoming more and more commonplace in
homes like in bathrooms and kitchens, as this can prevent nasty accidents.
However, we
will focus on the industries that will benefit the most, and in fact it is
probably imperative that these industries do choose to install non-slip
flooring in the premises. Some industries will also choose to have non-slip
flooring installed because it has a range of other benefits;.For instance, in
the case of vinyl and rubber floors - these are easier to clean, might have
anti-bacterial properties and be durable to heavy thoroughfares. As mentioned
above carpet has anti-slip properties as it provides enough friction. Yet,
although this may be fitting for homes and some offices, in many cases carpets
won’t be suitable for other industries like hospitals as they are harder to
clean and can trap dust, dirt and bacteria.
With this in
mind, we have decided to take a closer look at seven different industries and
environments that would benefit from having non-slip flooring installed.
Different kinds of non-slip flooring
As stated
above, there are many different types of non-slip flooring. Below are the most
common types:
Non-Slip Floor Tiles -
There are a range of non-slip floor
tiles you can choose from in both ceramic and porcelain varieties. Non-slip
tiles will have a more matte appearance and a textured surface.
Non-slip Vinyl Flooring -
Vinyl flooring has had misconceptions
in the past that it looks cheap, however, the development of vinyl flooring has
come a long way and now luxury vinyl floors are available in most retailers.
Non-slip Resin flooring
- This type of flooring is known as
textured flooring and epoxy flooring, it will be applied on top of the original
flooring but won’t change the look or colour of the original.
Doctors Surgeries, Dentists, Nursing Homes and
Hospitals
First and
foremost, perhaps the industry that would benefit the most is the healthcare
and care industries. Doctors surgeries, nursing homes, dentists and hospitals
need to be kept in tip-top hygienic condition as they are a host of bacteria
and illness.
One of the
many benefits of non-slip flooring is that it can be easily cleaned at the end
of a day's work - so GP surgeries, nursing homes, dentists and hospitals can
remain sparkling at all times.
Doctors
surgeries, nursing homes, dentists and hospitals will also see a host of people
walking through their corridors and waiting rooms every day. Many of these
people may have been in accidents and could have difficulty moving; non-slip
flooring helps these people as a slippery flooring could exacerbate injuries if
a patient falls. This is also the case for nursing homes, as the older
generation generally have worse coordination than the younger generation,
meaning that they are more prone to falls and if accidents do occur they are
potentially more life-threatening.
What’s more,
especially for the healthcare industry, a non-slip flooring helps it maintain
its professional appearance. The healthcare industry, and the spaces within it,
are associated to be places that are clean and safe, simply because people go
there to have their illnesses and injuries seen too and hopefully made better.
If a hospital, doctors surgery or dentist is actually unsafe because of its
flooring or it’s level of hygiene then it completely contradicts its intended
use.
Classrooms, Nurseries and School Gymnasiums
The
education industry is also an industry that will benefit and also should use
non-slip flooring. From classrooms to school gymnasiums, school’s need to be
safe, accident-free environments. As essentially, parents are trusting that their
children are well-looked-after whilst they are there for the duration of the
school day.
What’s more,
especially the case for younger children, as any parent would know, they can be
very hyperactive and run around; which can mean they often lose their balance
and hurt themselves. This is also the same for school gymnasiums and dance
studios, as it encourages children to run around, play games and partake in
sport. Non-slip flooring helps lessen
the chance of children injuring themselves as they run around the school
hallways or in classrooms.
For a homely
and comfortable appearance, schools and nurseries may choose to have a durable
carpet installed in classrooms. What’s more, this also provides cushioning.
Factories and Manufacturing
The
fast-paced rushing to and forth in manufacturing industries, plus the
interaction with heavy and dangerous machinery, means that safety precautions
certainly need to be a priority also in factories. A way to remedy this is by
installing non-slip flooring.
Non- slip
flooring allows for people to move freely without the worry of dropping their
items, falling over, items being damaged in transit and other issues that could
potentially occur with a slippery flooring.
Shopping Centres
Whether you
are rushing for the sales, or you are doing a Saturday afternoon browse, you
want to make sure that no accidents occur. After all, sales can be competitive
places where injury is rife, especially on black Friday in November or in the
Boxing day sales.
What’s more,
similarly to hospitals and schools, shopping centres will have thousands of
people visiting on a daily basis, meaning that it needs to remain clean and
hygienic, as well as durable and easy to move around in. With non-slip floors,
this can be achieved.
Restaurants, Industrial and Commercial Kitchens
The
hygienic, easy to clean and anti-slip properties of this kind of flooring are
not just beneficial to the healthcare industry, the hospitality industry would
also find this useful. For instance, restaurants, industrial and commercial
kitchens need to comply to high health and safety standards, not only with
their food management and preparation but also the safety of their staff.
If you have
watched any chef show on television - from Masterchef to Kitchen Nightmares and
Great British Bake Off, part of the entertainment is watching stressed out
amateur chefs and bakers run around the kitchen. Of course, although this is
designed for entertainment, it also shows how stressful and fast-paced the
hospitality industry is. This is why you need anti-slip flooring in these
environments. What’s more, especially as chefs, waiters and managers will be
interacting with food and drink - there are risks of spillages. This means that
there is plenty of opportunity for slips, trips and falls to occur as a
result.
In addition,
anti-slip flooring won’t just benefit the kitchen’s, but also it will benefit
the restaurant floor too. For the same reasons as stated above, the interaction
of food and drink means that restaurants are high risk for spillages from
customers, which also could result in customers slipping over and injuring
themselves too. To avoid your business getting a negative reputation or a hefty
lawsuit, make sure to install anti-slip flooring.
Sports Centres
It’s not just
school gymnasiums that need non-slip flooring, community sport’s centres like
gyms, squash courts, swimming pools, and indoor tennis, basketball and
badminton courts need anti-slip flooring. Simply because of the high level of
activity that these spaces face, a slip or fall could be potentially very
dangerous and cause serious injury.
This is
especially the case around swimming pools, as not having anti-slip flooring
could be detrimental to excitable young children running around potentially
injuring themselves. Alongside anti-slip flooring, you could put other safety
measures in place like having more than one lifeguard and ‘no running’ signs.
Theatre
From
high-energy dance numbers to ballet performances, musicals and impressive
theatre installations, theatres are exciting spectacles for audiences of all
ages. Yet, this means that it is imperative you install anti-slip flooring so
dancers and performers don’t injure themselves.
County Flooring and Supplies: Luxury Vinyl and
Safety
Flooring in Nottingham
Whether you
are looking to revamp your business premises, or you are refurbishing your home
- it is integral that you pay attention to the flooring you choose. Flooring
can both aesthetically and practically majorly impact any space, from tying
together the room’s look to helping to create friction and resistance if it is
a high traffic area.
If you are looking for luxury and safe flooring
options for your home or business in Nottingham, then here at County Flooring
and Supplies we can help. From carpets to vinyl tiles, laminate, anti-slip and
wooden flooring, our specialists can point you towards the perfect flooring for
your needs. To find out more about us as a company, or about our flooring
options, simply
contact us today.
