Sunken Floor Mats – A New Solution to an Old Problem
A major exposure restaurants face is people slipping and falling when they enter your store. People will bring in dirt or oil from parking lots, creating a situation where not only are they exposed to slips and falls, but also other customers and even your employees are exposed as well. If it is raining or snowing outside, then the chance of this happening greatly increases. Dry mops have helped to address this exposure by assisting in the drying of the floors, but employees must be constantly vigilant, and even then, a person with wet feet can still slip.
Some locations use floor mats to help absorb water and clean feet, but as they age, some mats may curl, while others may need to be replaced more often than is convenient. These mats also need to be carried outside or to the mop rinse station to be cleaned, which takes time away from your employees.
A new solution has been developed that addresses all of the issues mentioned above. A vendor has created a method to have a recessed floor mat in the stores. The mat itself then sits flush with the floor, and has no edge that can lift, curl, and trip customers or employees. As can be seen in the photo, the mat is nearly up against the door, so all who enter will step on the mat. The surface helps to clean and dry feet, and since the mat is recessed into the floor, water will not leak around the edges.
The mats themselves can be installed for both single and double doors, and custom installed for your needs. The mat surface is designed to assist in cleaning the sole of the shoe, so dirt and oil are not tracked through the restaurant.
Obviously the price point for these mats will be higher than a standard mat. When comparing these mats to the average cost of a single slip and fall, the total cost of the mat is less than 10% of a single slip and fall. Compared to higher cost slip and fall injuries that figure drops to about 1% of a single slip and fall claim.
When updating your store, or looking for ways to reduce the devastating effects of a costly slip and fall, this mat system should be given great consideration. For additional information please contact your construction contractor.