DIV18/40: Safer Floors In Wet Weather (17 December 2018)

Issue Date: 17 December 2018
Ref: DIV18/40

 

Safer Floors In Wet Weather

Wet and dirty floors can be a common occurrence during autumn and winter when bad weather means building occupiers and visitors bring more water and soiling inside on their shoes. The challenge facing anyone responsible for a building is to ensure that the floor retains its appearance and remains safe. This is where equipment such as a TASKI scrubber drier and other cleaning tools from Diversey can make a real difference to the tasks in hand.

Entrances and lobbies can be a particular problem because they are closest to the outdoors. They often have hard floors which are more durable against heavy traffic and easier to clean than, for example, carpets. But while their hardness can make them easier to maintain it often means that any contamination will increase the risk of slips and trips.

If a puddle forms inside an entrance during wet weather – or there is a spillage of any kind - it may be necessary to provide a containment barrier until it can be removed. This is one of the many potential applications of Diversey’s TASKI Zorba Leak Lizard, a super-absorbent disposable barrier strip for containing liquid spills and leaks in retail, hospitality, food service, school and building care applications. 

The strip is supplied in a continuous 30m roll that can be separated at 60cm intervals into any required length to surround a spill or segregate an area with a highly effective barrier. Each 60cm section contains a special polymer material that can quickly absorb up to two litres of water or other liquids. The strip is simply laid into the required position to create a barrier between a wet and dry area. When used for smaller spillages it will absorb all of the liquid before its built-in indicator becomes visible. Saturated strips can be disposed of in any suitable waste container after use. Its distinctive yellow and black striped design presents a clear warning to building users.

Spillages and any water and dirt brought into a building can be removed quickly and effectively using a TASKI scrubber drier. These advanced machines, which clean and dry the floor in a single pass, are also ideal for clearing puddles and spillages after they have been contained using a barrier strip. 

The patented squeegee and pick-up mechanism used on all walk-behind and ride-on Diversey’s range of TASKI scrubber driers ensures that more than 99 per cent of the water or cleaning solution is removed as the machine passes over the floor. During normal operations this means the floor can be used as soon as cleaning is finished. This makes TASKI machines ideal for daytime or opportunity cleaning in busy buildings. 

The same attributes allow TASKI Machines to remove dirt and water from wet floors during bad weather. Running over the floor regularly throughout the day, particularly when it is raining outside, helps keep the floor clean and dry. Moreover, these machines can be used at other times for general duties.

Battery powered machines, whether pedestrian operated or ride-on, in the extensive TASKI range are ideal for this type of work because they operate independently at all times and do not need access to localised power sources. Nor do they use trailing power cables which can themselves present an additional hazard to users and bystanders. With a large number of machines, pads and brushes and cleaning products to choose from, all designed by Diversey to work together to deliver optimum performance, operators can specify the right combination of performance and value for their particular application.

So apart from maintaining the appearance of a building, why is this important? According to the HSE, slips, trips and falls on the same level remain the most common cause of major injuries at work - almost three in ten of all reportable non-fatal cases (HSE/RIDDOR for 2016/7). The results of these accidents mean thousands of people are suffering each year. Referring to “at work” can be deceptive because the HSE’s figures include commercial premises such as shops and hospitals. This means that many of the reported accidents are to members of the public. Clearly building owners and managers have a duty of care and responsibility for the safety of working and public areas. Alongside the potential for legal action there is also the damage to reputations that can arise when a business is associated with any accident.

Using equipment such as a TASKI scrubber drier and TASKI Zorba Leak Lizard helps building managers to face the dual seasonal challenge of maintaining the appearance of their facilities while eliminating potential slip and trip risks posed by the ingress of water and dirt.