CM/Spotlight: Hard Floor Care lar basis — and at an alarming rate. Slips and falls cost billions of dollars each year — not to mention the pain and suffer-ing of those who are victims of the incidents. I mention this because there is a good chance we all will have to deal with some type of slip and fall incident occurring in our lifetime — whether it involves a relative, an employee or a valued customer. So, what can be done to help prevent such incidents from occurring? Are there any tools or resources avail-able that will help a company to be proac-tive in their slip and fall prevention efforts? Yes — but itʼs only going to help if it is used properly and implemented into your companyʼs safety efforts. and devices used for both laboratory and field testing to measure the wet static coef-ficient of friction (SCOF) of common hard surface floor materials. The purpose of the ANSI B101.1 Standard is to provide a test method that provides a measurement procedure setting forth trac-tion ranges, which facilitate remediation of walkway surfaces when warranted. The ANSI B101.1 Standard has three traction ranges: High Traction, which pres-ents a low risk of slips and falls; Moderate Traction, which presents an intermediate risk; and Low Traction, which presents an elevated risk. So, how can the ANSI B101.1 Standard help you in your slip and fall prevention methods? For one, it allows a company to have their floors tested and audited by a trained individual — a Certified Walkway Auditor, for example. A walkway auditor has been trained in the auditing process that tests the facilityʼs How Big Is The Problem? Just look at a few statistics and it doesnʼt take long to see why thereʼs a need for concern. In 2007, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 2.2 million Americans sought emer-gency room treatment for an accidental fall, making falls the leading cause of emer-gency room visits in America. The National Safety Councilʼs 2008 edi-tion of “Injury Facts” lists falls as the lead-ing cause of accidental death for people over the age of 85. In 2006, 21,200 people died as a result of an accidental fall. Ironically, three days before I wrote this article, my mother became one of these statistics: She fell and spent two days in the intensive care unit. A New Tool In Slip And Fall Prevention In December of 2009, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B101 Committee on Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention released the first in a series of floor safety standards designed to prevent pedestrian slips and falls. The new standard is the ANSI B101.1 Standard, which specifies the procedures The Custodial profession has never been so important to the efficiency of an organization and a healthy environment. Modern buildings made of modern materials require modern equipment, chemicals and techniques in order to keep them sanitary, safe and in proper operating condition. They also require a high degree of knowledge and skill from the custodial teams that clean them. The vast variety of floor surfaces alone, requires extensive knowledge if we are to adequately protect a company’s investment in their assets. CMI’s Custodial Supervisor Training and Certification Course pro-vides the knowledge and skills your supervisors need to efficiently and effectively manage the operation with minimal environmental impact. Teach the people, management and administrative skills of successful custodial supervisors and watch staff morale and productivity increase. For more information, contact: Sharon Hillis at 518.640.9163 or [email protected] www.cminstitute.net 20 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • April 2010
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