A Look at Slip and Fall Injuries: Only For the Elderly, Think Again

Are you aware that 8 million hospital emergency room visits each year are due to slip and fall injuries, that it’s the leading cause of workers compensation claims and that 4 million slip and fall injuries occur in the home each year? And most of these injuries could be easily prevented by using a very simple non slip coating.

Let’s look deeper into the numbers above. You would think that most slip and fall injuries only involve the elderly, right? Wrong. Of those 8 million hospital emergency room visits only 1.2 million of them are seniors or the elderly. That’s 6.8 million people under the age of 65 that get injured due to slip and fall injuries. So if you think it won't or can't happen to you, think again.

85% of all workers compensation claims are from workers slipping on slippery floors with the average settlement at $28,000! In the food & service industry alone they spend $2 billion annually and all slip and fall injuries combined exceeds $60 billion.

So where is a solution to this problem that is affordable, safe and applicable to all flooring surfaces, without being too time consuming or difficult to apply? Below we will look at the many different options businesses and consumers have that could greatly decrease their chances of a slip and fall injury occurring in their home or business space.

Epoxy coatings are relatively cheap option for businesses if buying by the gallon or in a large quantity. However Epoxy does have its draw backs, you will need to hire a professional to come and mix the chemicals correctly and apply it to your floors. Epoxy also overtime will discolor your floors or yellow them.

Non Slip Floor Tiles

Non slip floor tiles sounds like a great option for any business. The problem is that research shows that within 2 years of installing these non slip floor tiles, they start to lose their effectiveness of preventing slip and fall injuries. And when you factor in the additional cost of paying extra for the "non slip factor", there may be better options for businesses out there.

Other Options and Coatings Stairs treads and floor mats offer businesses the ability to cover a small area but are limiting and often unattractive solutions to this problem. There are many other non slip floor coating and etching products on the market including acrylics, urethanes and acids, but those typically use harsh chemicals and solvents which are difficult to mix correctly and/or apply without the help of a professional--and etching solutions eat away at the surface of the floor. Many also have long dry times making them prohibitive for businesses that close at night and need to be open to traffic in the morning.

So what should a business or home owner use that will work on all indoor and outdoor flooring that is safe, durable and easy to apply to safeguard their floors and make them slip proof?

The answer is actually from a fast growing, water based coatings manufacturer out of Fort Lauderdale called Liquiguard Technologies. Their water-based non slip coating product called SolidStepCote is a completely 100% green product that anyone can apply in 3 easy steps. There is no need to hire professionals or buy masks and it dries to a crystal clear finish. Within 4 hours of being applied the surface is ready to be walked on again. It also does the following:

Seals the grout lines of all floors and has built-in UV protection that won't yellow or discolor your flooring.

It can last for years before needing to be reapplied and will not chip or peel.

It is completely water based, non toxic and extremely durable

It far exceeds OSHA/ADA Standards for slip resistance

But How Easy to Use is SolidStepCote? 1. Clean the floor or surface area, remove all dirt and debris and make sure, at the time of application, the surface is dry. 2. Stir the bottle contents and pour product into a paint tray. 3. Roll on with a paint roller or brush and allow approximately 4 hours to dry.

When you compare SolidStepCote to any other anti slip coating product out there on the market today it wins in a landslide for overall effectiveness, value and of course price. You save money by using a non toxic coating that does not need to be handled or mixed by professionals. And you save your floor from yellowing or discoloration.

Epoxy and other chemicals may have a cheaper "upfront" cost by the gallon, but when you factor all the actual costs involved you can see that SolidStepCote is the best investment your company could make in helping prevent slip and fall injuries.

You can learn more about SolidStepCote and view our various formula options for a variety of indoor and outdoor flooring using the links below.

All research quoted is from the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI).