Cintas Corporation, a provider of facility solutions, has received National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) high-traction certification for its Floor Care Management Program. Designed to protect foodservice organizations from slips, trips and falls, it is the first comprehensive floor care program to meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards for high traction. Jason’s Deli, a nationwide restaurant chain with more than 230 locations, has selected the program for use in 10 of its restaurants.

“Since the rollout of the Cintas Floor Care Management Program, we have experienced a reduction in floor-related incidents,” says Nic McLaughlin, director of facilities, Jason’s Deli. “We’ve found that combining a defined process with good tools, training and follow-up has improved our floor safety, cleanliness and appearance.”

In the most recent data available on floor safety, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that restaurant industry employees experienced more than 12,500 cases of disabling injuries due to same-level slips, trips and falls — and this is just staff.

“Within the restaurant industry, slips, trips and falls are the biggest cause of employee and customer injury,” says Russell Kendzior, president of the NFSI.  “Cintas is the first organization to develop a comprehensive, third-party certified approach to combat this growing risk.”

From chemicals to mats, the floor program is a systematic approach to high-traction floor care. Breaking the facility into zones, the program includes an audit and site survey of the current processes which may result in a rejuvenative deep cleaning. The program also offers NFSI-certified mats, a daily maintenance program using color-coded tools by zone, mopping systems, floor agitation tools and NFSI-certified floor care chemicals.

“You are 10 times more likely to slip and fall in a restaurant than you are to get sick from food,” says David Collette, director of Foodservice, Cintas. “NFSI high-traction certification establishes benchmarks for floor safety, and we are excited to offer customers a complete floor care system that meets the rigorous standards set by the NFSI and ANSI.”