In commercial kitchens, safety and efficiency need to go hand in hand. Things are constantly moving, there’s high temperatures and if you’re not careful, liquids and grease can easily spill, so if you’re not careful, accidents can easily happen.
Anti-slip coatings on your flooring can quite literally be a lifesaver in the face of these risks.
The Importance of Anti-Slip Kitchen Flooring
In kitchens, there is an ever-present risk of slipping – it is one of the most common workplace injuries in the food production sector. It is easy for grease, water and other liquids to accumulate on the floor of any kitchen, which can be incredibly risky for employees. Anti-slip floor paint and floor coatings can be used to improve traction – even in the most demanding settings.
Accidents can put your business at risk of employee injuries, operational disruption and legal consequences. In the UK, non-slip flooring plays an essential role in meeting health and safety regulations.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, states that employers need to assess any risks and take steps to make sure that employees are working in a safe environment. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 also specifically require workplace floors to be suitable and non-slippery so that employees can move safely. Installing anti-slip flooring is a simple way to meet these requirements.
It has also been shown that kitchens with anti-slip flooring often see an improvement in productivity. When employees can walk safely, they’re not going to be worrying about where they put their feet – this confidence can directly translate to better performance, smoother workflows and fewer accidents.
Why is Non-Slip Flooring Effective?
Anti-slip flooring is designed to meet the unique challenges of a commercial kitchen. The textured surface is ultra durable and provides reliable grip, even when a floor is wet and slippy. It also offers a degree of chemical resistance which can resist a variety of substances including chemicals, oils, cleaning products and food debris so that your flooring is going to last for many years to come.
It is also essential that kitchen flooring is heavy duty and durable. It must endure high foot traffic, heavy carts, trolleys and equipment – all whilst being easy to clean. Typically, non slip flooring is a great choice for kitchens as under normal conditions it makes it simple to maintain both high hygiene standards, as well as safety features.
Common Materials Used
There are many different types of flooring that can be used in commercial kitchens with unique benefits for specific needs:
- Epoxy Resin Flooring – Seamless and durable, epoxy resin can be enhanced with anti-slip aggregates to provide excellent resistance to slips and falls. Designed to provide long lasting durability, resin flooring can be easily applied onto existing or new concrete flooring and is particularly effective in areas what might be exposed to harsh cleaning chemicals.
- Non-slip Vinyl Flooring – Though cost effective, vinyl flooring is perhaps more suited to home kitchens rather than commercial kitchens as they are not manufactured with the heavy duty requirements in mind. That said, they are easy to keep clean.
- Resin Floor Screeds – The quartz additions in resin floor screeds can also provide a fantastic layer of slip protection to more decorative flooring solutions. They are also incredibly durable for areas with heavy foot traffic.
Maintaining Resin Flooring
It is essential that maintenance is carried out on anti-slip floors so that they remain effective. Regular cleaning must be carried out to prevent grease and food particles from accumulating which can compromise the tough anti-slip properties.
Inspections should also be carried out on flooring to examine for signs of wear and tear. When you detect issues such as cracks or smoothing of textured areas early they can be easily repaired.
Choosing the Right Flooring
To select the best flooring for your kitchen, it is important to consider several factors:
- Level of Slip Resistance – Different areas of a kitchen may need higher slip resistance than others. For example, dry zones may be suited to a tile flooring, while areas exposed to heavy grease or water may require an epoxy resin flooring with higher slip resistance features.
- Heat Resistance – Kitchens are often exposed to high levels of heat from ovens, so it is important that in these areas a heat resistant flooring such as a screed or resin is selected.
- Durability – In busy kitchens, the style of floor that is selected needs to consider durability. While vinyl flooring might be a cost effective solution, it is not as durable as a screed and so is unlikely to be durable enough for long term busy kitchen flooring.
- Aesthetic Appeal – If you have different areas of a kitchen that need to be separated into zones, it can be beneficial to colour the flooring to clearly mark each zone.
- Cleanliness – In a kitchen, it is essential that flooring is easy to clean. Some flooring solutions also offer anti-microbial coatings which help to prevent bacterial growth and maintain high hygiene standards.
Investing in anti-slip flooring is more than just a safety measure, it represents commitment to your employees safety, compliance with regulatory standards and a safer way of running your kitchen. It can enhance productivity and ensure a clean and professional kitchen space. No matter if you’re installing a new kitchen or upgrading a new one, anti-slip flooring should be a priority.