While concrete often seems like a fairly smooth material, up close, you’ll realise it has a naturally rough surface. In terms of grip this is good news, because the floor has a degree of natural slip resistance.
However, when a concrete surface is painted, which often is the case for flooring in work environments such as warehouses, manufacturing plants and storage facilities, safety shoes and boots can lose a lot of slip resistance. Why? You’ll find out in this blog, plus if you’re in charge of Health and Safety at your company and your team are working on painted concrete, you’ll get the information you need to ensure you’re not just giving them good grip, you’re giving them the right grip for the surface type they’re working on.
SMOOTH CAN BE SLIPPERY
When concrete is painted, its rough surface and small holes get filled in, and the imperfections that gave it natural slip-resistance are smoothed over.
While a painted concrete floor has many safety advantages – it improves visibility and increases lighting efficiency - when it comes to slip safety, we recommend a certain type of sole for such a smooth surface to reduce the chance of slip accidents as well as other foot health issues.
THE IGSTM SOLE UNIT - A SOLUTION FOR SLIPS
V12 developed the IGSTM (Intelligent Grip System) tread to give the wearer targeted grip and stability on smooth, man-made surfaces such as painted concrete. It’s been designed with:
AN ANGLED HEEL
The IGSTM has been designed with a 7° heel strike, because this is the angle at which most slip accidents occur. This innovative heel pad gives the wearer greater stability because it increases contact with the ground.
This angled sole also helps reduce falls when the wearer is changing surfaces, which is another major contributor for workplace slips, trips and falls. Surface changes are very common in working environments which have painted concrete flooring, as they often lead to chequer plate or Kennedy Grating steps to get to the next level, and so the angled splines and high-performing grip of the IGSTM also increases safety in this respect.
The IGSTM sole has been specifically tested on both Kennedy Grating and Chequer plating, so the wearer gets excellent grip on both these surfaces as well as when moving between them.
HIGH-PERFORMING TRACTION
This IGSTM grips surfaces effectively due to its high-performing rubber tread, increasing both traction and stability.
WATER-DISPERSING CHANNELS
To combat slips on wet or contaminated surfaces, one of the IGSTM's features is a water-dispersing hexagonal tread, which quickly channels away liquid.
Want to know more about the IGS? Find out more about the top-level innovation used in this sole unit here.
When a painted surface becomes slick with water or another contaminant, it creates what’s known as ‘Boundary Lubrication,’ meaning a layer of liquid, or other, is sitting between the sole and the surface.
This means none or only part of the tread is touching the ground. The rest of the footwear skims over the liquid, and a slip occurs.
To add to this, if employees are working in a large factory floor or warehouse, the greater foot fall can also lead to greater deposits of contaminants. As a result, the IGSTM’s water-dispersing tread pattern can go a long way to reduce slips on painted concrete.
OTHER ISSUES WITH PAINTED CONCRETE
While this type of surface can create slip hazards, it’s not the only foot health and safety problem it can cause. Concrete is a very uncompromising material, and due to the hardness of this surface, walking or standing on it for prolonged periods can cause foot fatigue including aching feet and painful foot cramps.
To hold your own weight, keep yourself balanced and lift heavy items or equipment, the feet have to endure significant forces, which can cause a lot of discomfort, sometimes referred to as ‘impact exposure.' And when you consider that one quarter of all the bones in the human body are in our feet, it reminds us that these small structures won’t be given any shock-absorption from a concrete surface.
This is why the IGSTM sole is also a perfect solution for working on concrete, as its high-performing rubber outsole and midlayer (which is available in a PU or EVA) has natural shock-absorption, giving the wearer comfort and cushioning.
Want to see the IGSTM in action? Watch below:
THE RIGHT SLIP SOLUTION
So, if you are in charge of Health and Safety, with boots featuring tread like the IGSTM, you can ensure targeted slip safety, which is vital for reducing accidents, but also a straightforward safety footwear solution - an opinion shared by Health and Safety experts:
"Footwear is often the lowest consideration in the hierarchy for slips, but actually it's the one that is easiest to make changes with, and quite often the most inexpensive. It can be a very good control for stopping people slipping over in the workplace."
Rob Shaw, The Health and Safety Laboratory.
GETTING IT RIGHT FOR YOUR TEAM
If you’re unsure whether your team has the current footwear for slip resistance, we can help.
A V12 Foot Health and Safety Assessment can offer everything your company needs to reduce slips, trips and falls and achieve safety peace of mind for all concerned with our industry leading audit and expert safety footwear recommendations. Click below, and we'll be in touch to get the process started.
