Prevent Accidents on Rainy Days

Finally, it seems the veil of winter has been lifted, and businesses along the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States will experience normal spring weather. Of course, that is no reason to lose focus on accident prevention and safety. Snow and ice have been replaced with wind and rain, presenting a new set of challenges for commercial property owners and facility managers.

Commercial floor mat inspection, entryway maintenance, and new investment in rain-related safety products are essential tasks this spring.

Preventing Rain-related Accident

Whether in a vehicle or on foot, inclement weather always increases the risk of accidents. Rainfall makes horizontal surfaces slippery, requiring greater slip resistance (friction) to keep things in controlled contact with the ground.

In this light, property owners and facility managers are encouraged to keep heavily trafficked areas clean, dry, and safe with the following checklist.

Accident Prevention Checklist for Rainy Days

1. Inspect Floors and Walkways

It is estimated that 60% of all slip and fall accidents are the direct result of improperly maintained floor surfaces. Take time now to inspect all walking surfaces, located at each point of entry/exit. Take note of floor surface, transitions, steps, and other characteristics that might cause a slip and fall. Add safety mats where needed, including outside the entryway, within vestibules, across lobby floor spaces, and along corridors.

2. Clean All Floor Surfaces

Take time to clean all major walkways located outside and within the facility. This includes employee areas. Charge specific members of maintenance staff with cleaning these areas at specific intervals, making sure that each surface is cleaned using the proper chemicals and cleaning technique. This includes floor surfaces, recessed carpets, floor mats, and other flooring surfaces.

3. Replace Worn-out & Old Mats

While cleaning, check for floor mats that need replaced. Be aware that worn, chipped, or otherwise insufficient matting might cause slips and falls. Failure to properly maintain such mats might also make property owners liable for the accidents they cause. Things to look for include: Chipped edging, flattened floor mat texture, inability of mat to retain liquids/debris, and worn rubber backing that results in shifting/slippage.

4. Review Safety Protocols with Maintenance Staff

Review important safety protocols with all members of maintenance, taking care to ensure everyone knows which areas are most trafficked, which floor surfaces require special cleaning techniques/chemical treatments, how safety mats are to be positioned, and how frequently areas should be checked throughout the day.

5. Use Wet Umbrella Bag Stands on Rainy Days

When the rain falls, consider using additional safety products to control rainwater accumulation, reduce puddles, and prevent slip and fall accidents. Wet umbrella bag stands and automatic umbrella wrapping units are available, giving guests a convenient way to participate in accident prevention simply by bagging their wet umbrellas.

Shop Floor Mats and Rain-related Safety Products

Visit Eaglemat.com to shop for replacement floor mats, wet umbrella bag stands, crowd control systems, and much more. For order assistance and product consultation, readers are invited to contact Eagle Mat Client Services at 1-877-333-1018.