Cleaning and servicing natural stone floor coverings

Status:

completed 03/1996

Aims:

Slipping in entrances of public buildings counts among the most frequently found causes of accident. For representative purposes, natural stone floors - with high polished or fine- finished surfaces - are often found in such entrances. The investigations should answer the question whether it is possible to increase anti-slip properties, once floorings are installed, by using suitable preservative agents.

Activities/Methods:

2700 tests of the slip resistance of natural stone floor coverings were conducted. The tpye of flooring, the floor conditions (dry/wet), the floor treatment with cleaning or preservative agents and the sole materials changed from test to test.

Results:

The test showed that the state of the floor as well as the quantity of preservatives used have the largest effect on the slip resistance. Improved anti-slip properties could be shown for all floor/preservative/sole-combinations as long as the floor was dry. Floor wetting leads to a significant decline in slip resistance with an immediate effect on the slipping risk.

Further informations:

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