Preventing Slip, Trip-and-Fall Incidents in the Hospitality Industry
Speaker s Bio: Russell J. Kendzior is the President, and CEO of Traction Experts, Inc. and Founder of the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI). Internationally recognized as the leading expert in slip-and-fall accident prevention, he is the creator of the Traction Plus Safe Surface System, a unique combination of products that have been clinically proven to reduce slip-and-fall accidents by as much as 85 percent. Sought nationwide as a safety consultant, public speaker, and expert witness, Kendzior is the author of the best selling book on accident prevention entitled, Slip and Fall Prevention Made Easy (Government Institutes, Inc., 1999) as well as the OSHA Self-Inspection Checklist (A.M. Best Company, 1997- current). Mr. Kendzior has written numerous articles on slip-and-fall accident prevention for such industry publications as Chain Store Age, ISSA Today, Services Magazine, Texas Lawyer, and Professional Retail Store Maintenance Magazine (PRSM). Mr. Kendzior has been featured in numerous newspaper and magazine articles and has been appeared on several nationally televised news programs including ABC News Good Morning America and Inside Edition. Mr. Kendzior has also been the focus of a documentary on floor safety aired by PBS stations nationwide. Mr. Kendzior frequently lecturers various trade and professional associations. In 2005, he was appointed as a Technical Advisor to the Board of Delegates of the National Safety Council. Mr. Kendzior is a graduate of Bradley University with a BS in Mathematics.
The National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) was founded in 1997 as a not-for-profit 501(c)-3 non-for profit organization with a mission to: aid in the prevention of slip, trip-and-fall accidents through education, research and standards development
Our Objective Today Inform you of a growing problem of slips, trips and falls Educate you to the cause-and-effect relationships that contribute to slips, trips and falls Provide you with relevant information which will allow you to better manage your slip, trip and fall problem
Insurance Claims
Cost as a Function of Floor Maintenance Slip and fall costs are a serious problem in the hospitality industry Slip and fall costs are a leading cause of employee and guest injuries For every dollar spent on floor care, you will spend three dollars paying for a slip and fall Retail Maintenance Costs ($ Millions annually) $150 $1,000 $450 Labor 62.5% Chemicals 9.4% Slip and Fall Claims 28.1%
Slip, Trip and Fall Legal Costs Average cost of litigation $52,000 Average Slip and fall settlement $24,500 Average jury award $178,000 Since 1980, personal injury lawsuits have risen by more than 300%
Slip-and-Fall Costs It is estimated that slip s, trip s and falls costs the hospitality industry more than $10 billion a year Average victim of a slip, trip and fall is a Caucasian female over the age of 60 Slip-and-fall related injuries are expected to double in proportion to the growth of the nations elderly population Falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits in the U.S. and the leading cause of accidental death for individuals over the age of 85
Most Common Fall Locations 1. Entrance Floors Trips on floor mats Wet floors Low traction flooring materials 2. Guest Rooms Slipped in bathtub Slipped getting out of bathtub 3. Stairs Improper stair nosing s, treads, or design Inadequate lighting
The Effects of Polymerization Why Floors Become Slippery Over Time
New Quarry Tile (X1600)
Polymerized Quarry Tile (X1600)
Polymerization Removal Before After
Walk-Off Matting
Warning Signs
Education and Training Self-Help Books Training Programs Internet / CD Rom based training
Fraud Hard Fraud Soft Fraud
Slip, Trip and Fall Standards... And How They Affect You!
Federal Regulations Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Rely upon and reference ANSI and ASTM standards
OSHA Regulations Department of labor CFR 1910.22 describes keeping floors clean, orderly and in a sanitary condition Does not require that walkways met any specific COF value Does not specify any test method, standard, or test instrument Proposed new rule calls for walkways to be inspected by a Qualified Person
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ADA (ADAAG) appendix required that walkways maintain a COF of 0.6 and 0.8 for ramps but did not specify the test method, standard, testing instrument, or condition (wet vs. dry) Incorrectly referenced OSHA as having a 0.5 COF requirement which was withdrawn via a bulletin announcement in 2006
NFSI 101-A Wet (Neolite) SCOF method Defines the Term High-Traction as those walking surfaces whose wet SCOF >0.6 Tribometer Selection Process - BOT-3000 test device
NFSI 101-B Wet (Neolite) SCOF method Applies to floor cleaning agents and treatments products whose wet SCOF increases by 20%> above baseline are rated as high-traction
NFSI Product Certification Program The NFSI has developed a product certification program designed to assist the hospitality industry in making a more informed decision when selecting appropriate walkway materials, finishes, and floor maintenance products
Look For The NFSI Label Its your guarantee that the product has been clinically tested to meet the NFSI s High-Traction standard of enhanced slip resistance
The Not-So-Distant Future ANSI B101.0 - ANSI B101.6
ANSI B101.1 Applies to all walkway surfaces (first ever uniform test method) Used in both the laboratory and the field Defines 3-wet SCOF ranges or Traction Levels High-Traction (0.6+) Moderate Traction (0.4-0.60) Low Traction (<0.4)
NFSI Walkway Auditing Guideline References 101-A and 101-B standards Sets out the rules of the road for the measurement of walkway slip resistance Defines the procedure by which floors can be evaluated for the slip resistance performance Currently being balloted as ANSI B101.0
ANSI B101.0 - B101.6 B101.0: This guideline provides a technical review of the science of measuring surface friction (tribometry) including slip-and-fall dynamics, its causes and contributing factors and the testing devices and methods used to measure the slip resistance of walkway surfaces. B101.2: This standard covers the change in dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) resulting from various chemical or physical walkway surface treatments on ceramic tile or other hard floor surfaces under wet conditions. This standard can be used in the laboratory or in the field. B101.3:This test method specifies the procedures and devices used for both laboratory and field testing to measure the wet dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) on common hard surface floor surfaces.
B101.4: The purpose of this standard is to provide a means of quantitatively, and meaningfully, assessing the slip resistance of areas, and locations, that are expected, and/or known, to be wet while being accessed by barefoot individuals, and to significantly reduce the likelihood of injuries resulting from slips in these areas. B101.5:The purpose of this standard is to offer, at the point of product sale, guidance to users/purchasers on the traction capabilities of the contents of the package through the display of labels and markings B101.6:This standard provides criteria for the selection, installation, inspection and maintenance of floor mats, runners, and rugs as it relates to the prevention of slips, trips and falls.
National Floor Safety Institute P.O. Box 92607 Southlake, TX 76092 www.nfsi.org Russ Kendzior (817)749-1705 russk@nfsi.org