Floor Finish: Ceramic - Internal
Slip Hazard: Swimming Pool & Showers
- This client is part of a large holiday camp group, in use 24/7/365 with average 97% occupancy
- Typically the pool is the main attraction; generally all the surfaces are always wet
- The HSE was called in after an abnormally high number of slipping accidents
- Six months of continual effort by the client to resolve the issues failed as a consistent regime was thought impossible due to the ever changing number and type of users
- The client stated that monitoring good and bad days proved difficult
- The HSE issued a restrictive order, demanding that the condition be resolved or face immediate closure – fatal for the business.
Findings
Body fats were the main cause of slipping along with certain areas containing calcium deposits. Water pooling and poor drainage was a contributory factor. If the surface was maintained correctly to suit demand the problem was resolved. The problem was how to react to the level of demand and make the necessary changes. It was not practical to maintain a constant high level of awareness as the cost was prohibitive and staff quickly lost interest in the constant pressure. As Slip Guardian was not available to resolve the above at a fraction of the staffing costs, a third party chemical solution was used, this at least enabled the HSE to remove the restrictive order. The chemical treatment had a capital cost of 13% (tens of thousands of pounds) of the original floor cost and has to be applied every two years.
