Where the risk is in an education setting
Adults slow down on wet floors. Children do not, and they are smaller, closer to the ground and more likely to be barefoot or in socks. The problem areas are familiar to anyone who has done playground duty in the rain: the covered walkway that is open on one side and wet for two metres in; the outdoor learning area with a smooth painted concrete floor; the toilets; the canteen servery floor; the hall entry; and anything to do with water play, sandpits with hoses, or a pool.
What to test
- Covered outdoor learning areas and verandahs, at the wet edge and in the dry centre
- Walkways between buildings, especially at gradients and step-downs
- Student toilets and change rooms, tested with the barefoot slider where children are likely to be shoeless
- Water play and bubbler areas in early learning centres
- Canteen and kitchen floors
- Hall, gym and performance space entries where wet shoes meet timber or vinyl
- Pool decks, pool steps and the surrounding concourse
- Main office and reception entry, where parents and visitors arrive in the rain
Barefoot areas are a special case
Where children are expected to be barefoot, the pendulum is fitted with the softer slider specified for bare feet and the result is compared with the HB 198:2014 recommendations for barefoot wet areas such as pool surrounds and change rooms. The report states which slider was used at each location so the numbers are read correctly.
When to test
Holidays are ideal because the site is empty and any treatment can be done and retested before term starts. Testing itself is quick and non-disruptive, so after-school windows also work for smaller scopes. New buildings should be tested before the defects liability period closes, and any area where a child has slipped should be tested promptly while the conditions are still representative. Many schools then move to an program round timed for the summer break.
Fixing what fails
Painted concrete walkways that have gone smooth are usually recoated with an anti-slip system. Tiled toilets and wet areas can be etched without changing their appearance. Where the cause is cleaning residue, which is common in schools with contract cleaning, a change of chemistry and a deep clean is the first step. Every fix should be followed by a retest so the file shows the new rating. See fixing a failed floor.
The record
Keep the reports with the school's WHS documentation. A business manager who can produce dated slip test reports for the wet areas, with shortfalls acted on, has answered the question a parent, a regulator or an insurer will ask.