Industrial Pavements Skid Resistance Evaluations for Workers Safety Check and Improvement

Into industrial plants with assembly lines and warehouses, smooth and polished concrete floors are often used to have surfaces suitable for the presence of forklifts and the passage of workers. These floors are often slippery and dangerous for workers, especially in the presence of water. Indeed, in the construction of industrial floors, synthetic products (resins) are often used. However, that are not suitable for the frequent passage of forklifts, especially in the case of wet floors. The authors performed several tests to evaluate the surface roughness of floors in some industrial plants in northern Italy to provide indications for using the most appropriate material for this type of floor. In all cases, the floors were very slippery and not suitable for the transit of forklifts and workers, especially in the case of wet floors. The companies therefore used new synthetic products to improve working conditions in the factories. Through new on-site tests, it was demonstrated that the use of new products ensures excellent resistance to slip/skid, even in the case of wet surfaces. It is necessary to provide suitable specifications for the construction of such pavements, which is currently not mandatory and not even used consistently and by everyone. Moreover, companies need to analyse the risks and dangers for workers carrying out tests on the pavements before their actual use by workers to. New materials can obtain good floor finishes with absence of fast surface wearing and high chemical and mechanical resistance. Furthermore, innovative technologies for surveying/testing of skid resistance could be implemented out improving the safety of industrial floors and reducing the risk of slips and falls for workers.