Wet Floor Signs

Which Wet Floor Signs Do You Need?

Different signs are suitable for different types of situation, so exactly what you will need depends on the nature of your business. When you consider that 90% of slips occur due to wet or contaminated floors, it becomes apparant that all business premises with hard floors, such as shops, offices, warehouses, schools and other public spaces, should invest in wet floor signs for use during cleaning. They can also come to the rescue in the event of a flood – for example, from a burst pipe. By placing wet floor signs in affected areas, you can greatly limit the capacity for accidents and the resulting injuries; as well as helping to comply with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Hard, smooth floors are the easiest to clean and help you to maintain hygiene standards, but they’re also the most hazardous. When a spill occurs, you’ll need A signs or cleaning in progress signs that you can put up straight away, around the perimeter of the affected area. After scrubbing or mopping, you’ll need wet floor signs to warn people away until it has had time to dry.

If other types of spills occur in your workplace, such as powders or oils that can make surfaces hazardous, general purpose slippery floor signs are useful. It is a good idea to stock up on A boards and signs indicating cleaning in progress to keep customers and other staff members safe, while making it clear that you’re taking swift action to remedy any problems. You never know when an accident is going to happen, so it’s important to have a sufficient supply of wet floor signs available ahead of time.

Barriers are particularly helpful in case you need to fence off large areas, or if the danger is not visible and there’s a risk of signs being ignored. Our Safety Warning Guardians and some types of safety cone sign are designed so that you can attach barriers to them.

Safety signs are not just for indoor use. Our Caution Beware Of Snow And Ice - Winter 'A' Boards are ideal for areas such as warehouse parking bays in wintertime.

Product Features to Consider

When you’re researching the types of wet floor signs for sale, there are several things you should consider:

• How visible are they? We sell yellow wet floor signs because they’re high contrast and easy to spot, but it’s up to you to place them where they can be easily seen. As a rule, taller signs are best because they’re less likely to get hidden behind large items or other people.


• How easy is it to store them? Foldable wet floor signs are ideal for businesses without much storage space, but some other types of collapsible wet floor signs are sturdier and less likely to fall over. They can be a good compromise in busy areas.


• Cost. All our products are good value, but if price is one of your top priorities, our 5-Pack Caution Wet Floor Economy Floor Stands are a great choice.


• Well-constructed plastic signs should last for several years, even if they’re used daily. Different thicknesses of plastic are available. Choosing a heavy-duty plastic reduces the risk of them being deliberately damaged or being blown over if used outside.

Which Are the Best Signs to Buy?

Choosing good slippery surface warning signs is about striking the right balance between effectiveness, practicality, durability and price. With that in mind, these are our top five recommended products:

• Tall ‘Wet Floor’ Stands – these are signs that nobody will miss, and they carry safety warnings in multiple languages. They can be folded flat for easy transportation and storage.


• Danger – Temporary Floor Sign – this convenient multipurpose sign is so easy to store that you can keep several in and around your premises and get them into place within seconds before going to find the correct sign for the situation.


• Wet Floor/Slippery When Wet Dual Message Floor Stand – this sturdy sign gives you two for the price of one as you can simply flip it around to change the message and then lock it in position.


• 5-Pack Danger Slippery Surface Economy Floor Stands – hardwearing, affordable, highly visible, and easy to set up anywhere, these signs even have built-in handles to help you carry them.

Remember that no matter what signs you use, it is essential that all your employees – and any cleaners you bring in as contractors – know how to use them properly. It is an employer’s duty to provide training – it is not an employee’s duty to work out what to do without guidance.

It’s worth investing time and effort in choosing the right signs because this is an area in which very simple actions now can prevent a lot of possible suffering in the future. The last thing you want is for a staff member or customer to be severely injured. It could even be you. We may often dismiss falling over as something fairly trivial, but a head injury or a spinal injury doesn’t bear thinking about. You can substantially reduce that risk by using the correct signage and/or barriers.

FAQs

What if several spills occur at once and I don’t have enough signs?

If you are unable to signpost a spill or wet floor area straight away, you will need a member of staff to stand there and warn people away from it until you have signs available. If you have barriers, you can use them to fence off the affected portion of your premises. If there are too many hazards to deal with, you will have to close until your premises are safe again.

Will using slippery floor signs protect me from being sued?

Nothing can give you 100% protection against being sued over an injury caused by slipping, but if you had signs in place when it happened, a court is more likely to rule in your favour. You’ll need to make sure that your signs are clearly visible.

How can I make my workplace safe for people who are visually impaired?

High-contrast safety signs should be visible to anybody who is capable of going out without assistance, and guide dogs are trained to recognise them. As always, staff should pay extra attention to disabled customers in case they need assistance.

Is it better just to leave signs in place in areas where spills are frequent?

Research has shown that when signs are always present, people tend to stop paying attention to them. For this reason, it’s better to keep signs out of sight until they’re needed.