Thousands of Australians suffer from slips, trips and falls every year in the workplace. In fact, the latest data from Safe Work Australia reveals that 23% of serious claims are due to injuries that fall within this category.1
What are the most common reasons for these injuries?
Slips happen when an individual’s foot loses traction on the ground surface. This can be due to slippery ground surfaces such as wet or greasy floors. Trips occur as a result of a person catching their foot on an object or surface. And falls often happen as a result of a slip or a trip but can also happen from working at low heights.
As with all workplaces, business owners have a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of their employees. This means managing the risks associate with slips and trips by applying the hierarchy of controls.
“There are various ways to manage risk but of course the first priority will be to assess what the hazards are in the workplace,” says Steve Keown, National Product Manager for Lubricants and Chemicals, at Motion. “We can certainly assist in performing a site walk-through to help identify and then discuss potential solutions for these risks.”
Steve says that one of the main ways to reduce risk associated with floor surfaces in the workplace is to apply engineering controls such as a slip-resistant treatment.
“We often recommend applying an anti-slip coating to flooring or outside surface areas at industrial sites where there is heavy pedestrian traffic to reduce the chance of injury,” he elaborates. “Ideally, we would collaborate with the customer to gain an understanding of their specific risks and requirements and then recommend a solution.”
One of the solutions available to Motion customers is the reputable and Australian-manufactured Epirez Safe Step range.
“We provide this through our partner ITW Polymers & Fluids and their brands such as Epirez, who have over 65 years’ experience in research and manufacturing products for concrete protection, including these particular anti-slip coatings,” explains Steve. “The Safe Step products are a tough epoxy slip-resistant coating that are applied to ground surfaces to seal them. They improve the appearance of pedestrian and working areas as well, making a walkway or area more visible.”
There are two products in the Epirez Safe Step range, Safe Step 100 and Safe Step 550. The former is designed for areas of heavy pedestrian traffic, while the latter is suitable to both pedestrian and rolling equipment traffic.
For readers seeking advice, Steve recommends a consultation with a Motion team member.
“We can also assist through our relationship with Epirez who have highly specialised engineers and flooring experts – to assist customers. Customers have the benefit of access to these expertise as well as the solutions through Motion branches across the country,” he adds.
Common slip hazards on industrial sites include:
• Liquid or solids spills
• Wet cleaning methods
• Changes in floor surfacing – e.g. wet to dry
• Dusty or sandy surfaces
Epirez Safe Step 100
• For heavy pedestrian traffic
• Single component, epoxy ester non-slip floor and outside surface coating
• Easy and fast to apply – dries in about 8 hours
• Optimum adhesion to concrete, wood and metal
• Chemical resistant and fire retardant
• Resists petrol, oil, acids, alkalis and aliphatic solvents
• Tested by CSIRO and has anti-slip rating of R13
• Meets standard AS4586:2013 Appendix D
• Available in Dark Grey, Light Grey and Safety Yellow
Epirez Safe Step 550
• For pedestrian and rolling equipment traffic
• High solids, heavy duty, non-slip coating
• Developed for use in marine and heavy industrial environments
• Designed to provide the most durable surface with highest possible non-slip profile
• Highly chemical resistant
References
- Safe Work Australia https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/key-work-health-and-safety-statistics-australia-2021
