subject: Best Practice flooring and the workplace environment [print this page] Best Practice flooring and the workplace environment
The workplace environment is one of the most demanding areas of anyone's life. It is the place many people spend a significant proportion of their time, and problems can literally be underfoot, in the flooring. Best practice for employers now includes a holistic approach to the workplace environment and workplace design, as well as important health and liability considerations. The best options are carpet tiles, preferably high-durability top qualitymodular carpet tiles.
The workplace floor- Issues for staff and employers
The workplace floor is the biggest working area in the workplace. It's an environment of itself, and it's under more physical stress than any other part of the building.
That situation creates problems for staff and employers:
Staff morale: Rundown looking workplaces are an archetypal symptom of neglect. Studies have shown that pleasant, well maintained premises improve staff morale and reduce absenteeism, sickness and staff turnover.
Wear and tear: Not only does damaged flooring look bad, it also begins the process of destroying the flooring. Tears and the different responses to pressure aggravate the problems, creating more damage. This can be extremely expensive, if allowed to continue.
These are potentially expensive, destructive OHS issues which employers need to monitor closely and fix as soon as possible.
Environmental considerations
Most environmental issues come in combinations of situations. Fixing the problems holistically deals with them systematically across the entire range. Fixing damaged flooring also prevents molds and fungi, for example, removes safety concerns and improves staff morale.
Occupational Health and Safety issues
Occupational Health and Safety risks: Damaged flooring causes many accidents, including injuries as a result of falls, which can be serious. It's quite possible for a few dollars worth of damaged carpet to cause huge damages claims. This is an unacceptable level of severe risk which must be addressed, immediately.
Public liability: Issues with damaged or otherwise unsafe flooring in public spaces can affect the workplace directly.
Health risks: Flooring can absorb chemicals and spills of liquids and contain ground-in contaminants including microbes and viruses from outside. These can cause contamination of the atmosphere as the flooring releases these materials as dust or fumes.
Fungi and Molds: Fungi and molds can be toxic, and may persist in some forms of flooring, particularly damaged flooring in humid areas or places where natural light isn't accessible, like storage areas. Mold and fungal spores can cause respiratory and other unpleasant health issues. Any repetitive health problems affecting staff should be investigated.
Best practice for workplace flooring
Best practice is a realistic, no-nonsense approach:
Top quality newcommercial grade carpet flooring installed throughout the premises
Use of modular carpet tiles to reduce maintenance
Prompt replacement of any suspect areas of carpet flooring with clean, modern carpeting
Monitoring of any areas where health issues are unusually high
This is a full workplace management system. Problems are prevented before they happen, and any issues located immediately.
