RR732 - Development of a more accurate assessment of roughness parameters for flooring
Slips and trips are the most common cause of major injuries at work and they occur in all workplaces; 95% of reportable major slips result in broken bones. In a typical year, slips and trips account for over 33% of all reported major injuries and approximately 20% of over-3-day injuries to employees. There is rarely a single cause of a slipping accident, and a holistic approach is required when assessing slip potential. A major contributing factor in any slip accident is the interaction of the pedestrian's heel, the floor surface and any contaminants present. It is therefore important to characterise the slip resistance of a floor surface when assessing the potential for a slip accident.
This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
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