Avoiding Slips And Falls On Concrete Floors

This is the third part of a three-part article about polished concrete.

Polished concrete flooring is safe to walk on when kept clean and dry. It also tends to be less slippery than waxed surfaces or surfaces that have floor finish, because concrete is not slippery when it is wet. In high-traffic facilities with polished concrete, preventing slip-and-fall accidents should still be a top priority. Here are some tips for improving the slip-resistance of polished concrete floors:

• Keep polished floors free of oil, grease and standing water. Follow a routine maintenance program, and clean spills and stains from the floor as soon as possible.

• Apply an antislip conditioner. These products contain special additives designed to improve traction and make wet surfaces safer. They can simply be mopped on during routine cleaning, periodically.

• Apply a sealer coat that contains an antislip grit additive. These products are mixed into the sealer before application to increase traction without taking away from the appearance of the polished surface.

• Use sufficient walk-off matting in high-traffic areas, especially in entryways.

Nick Bragg is a freelance writer in Milwaukee. He is the former Deputy Editor of Sanitary Maintenance.