Choosing the most appropriate safety flooring for your premises

Safety flooring is a must in many establishments, including medical facilities, care homes and schools. We stock a variety of safety flooring to suit all needs and pride ourselves on the quality of the products we supply. If your premises require safety flooring, it is vital that you follow the Health and Safety Executive’s guidelines on slip resistance values to ensure the flooring remains safe and fit for purpose for the duration of its lifecycle. We are happy to help point you in the right direction and answer any questions you might have about our flooring.

Consider the level and type of traffic

When considering what type of non-slip flooring your premises requires, it is important to consider how heavy the foot traffic is likely to be. If you are looking for flooring for certain types of premises, you may also have a number of wheelchair users frequenting your property. Scuffing can occur naturally with day-to-day foot and wheelchair traffic and through the use of walking aids such as frames, sticks and crutches. Some walking aids or types of footwear can dent flooring, making it uneven and causing hazards that the non-slip features of the flooring cannot counteract. It is important to think carefully about the types of traffic your premises experiences and to choose a floor that can stand up to the unique requirements of your property.

Beware certain finishes that may cause problems

Some finishes might initially look attractive but can present problems to certain groups of users, including the visually impaired. It is important to bear all your users’ needs in mind and to avoid any flooring that causes difficulties to certain groups. Certain types of flooring, including those with a sparkly finish, can appear wet or uneven to some users, particularly those with visual impairments or dementia.

Stairs require separate attention

Many accidents occur on stairs, some of which are a result of the type of flooring used. Using the right colours on stairs can improve the safety of users; for example, many stairs in public buildings feature nosings in a colour that contrasts strongly with the main colour of the stairs. This makes the stairs easy to see and helps those with visual impairments to clearly see the steps. This is one example of a way in which you can take simple precautions to make your premises as safe as possible for all users.