Floor Care

If you are a facilities manager for an office or in an industrial setting, floor care is one of your primary responsibilities. Properly maintained floors are not only a part of keeping a clean place of business, but they are also an integral part of worker safety. There are many occupational safety and health regulations that apply to floors and walking surfaces, but with a few simple concepts, you can keep your floors safe and looking good.

Floor Care Rules of Thumb

The first rule of thumb is to understand what type of flooring you are dealing with. For the sake of this article I am referring to hard floors, as carpet care is a subject that required its own attention. Hard flooring comes in many different varieties, including tile, vinyl, concrete, hardwood, and stone to name just a few. Different materials will require different floor care products, so be sure you know what you have.

Second, good housekeeping will save both time and money. Regardless of what type of floor you have, attentive maintenance will keep you from spending many extra hours of cleaning or repairing. Cleaning spills immediately, especially when they are chemical or other harsh substances, is vital. Replacing broken tiles or delaminating vinyl will keep trips and falls down to a minimum, avoiding workers compensation claims.

Finally, maintenance of your floors should include stripping and resurfacing on a regular basis. Hard floors will gain soil buildups over that can not only be unsightly, but dangerous as well. This can be particularly dangerous in settings where grease or frequent water spills are an issue. Many products are available that can not only protect the appearance of your flooring, but will add traction to reduce slips and falls as well.