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Wet Floor Signs – Everything You Need to Know

Signs and hazard warnings have become part of everyday, ordinary life. This is partly due to the growing importance of cleaning and disinfecting being undertaken in recent times.

Of course, cleaner workspaces are always a benefit, but they come with some risks, including slips and trips.

One of the most common floor cleaning methods is mopping. Although this disinfects the ground and removes any dirt and bacteria, it also creates a temporary slip hazard for anyone walking along the wet floor. That's where wet floor signs come in.

Warning Wet floor

Why is it important to use wet floor signs?

Wet floor signs alert and remind people of the presence of a slippery substance on the walking surface. This could be due to cleaning or many other reasons, including accidental spills, product leaks and bad weather.

Wet floor signs, like any other safety sign, are incredibly important to use in all workplaces. Due to their frequent use in all environments, many people subconsciously do not notice or pay attention to the yellow signs.

However, it is vital not to underestimate their importance for the reasons listed below.  

1 Safety

This is the top reason for using wet floor signs. No matter who walks through your premises, your responsibility as a business manager is to ensure people's safety. You can ensure that people are correctly informed by putting up wet floor signs where the ground is slippery.

Key Point: The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks (including slip and trip risks) and, where necessary, take action to address them.

2 Reduce accidents

Slips and trips are among the leading causes of accidents within the workplace. More and more employers are finding themselves in the middle of a lawsuit or a hefty compensation payout due to injuries such as broken bones caused by slips and trips.

Free-standing caution signs, such as Wet Floor Signs, can help significantly reduce the number of slip-related accidents within your business.

Key Point: The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW Act) requires employers to ensure the health and safety of all employees and anyone who may be affected by their work, so far as is reasonably practicable. This includes taking steps to control slip and trip risks.

Caution Slippery Surface

How can I get the most out of my Wet Floor Signs?

Multiple Signs

By having multiple signs available in and around your workplace, you know that you are fully equipped for any sized area. The larger the surface area of the wet floor, the more signs will need to inform people walking past adequately.

Also, this way, you can ensure that you have spare signs if more than one spillage happens at once.

Accessible storage

By purchasing a few wet floor signs and storing them around your premises, you or anyone else who spots a hazard can access them easily.

A top tip when storing caution signs is keeping them in highly accessible spots where they are most likely needed. These spaces could be near toilets, drinks and beverage machines, or by the entrance and exit pathways. 

Keeping them effective

Make sure that the signs don't become hazards themselves by avoiding their use in confined spaces such as narrow corridors, on steps, or near closed doors.

Wet floor signs can also lose their effectiveness if they are left in place for too long. Avoid this by removing the caution signs immediately after the area has been cleaned and dried and is safe for pedestrian footfall.

Caution cleaning in progress

Which wet floor sign is best for my business?

Caution signs are available in various formats, including snow and ice, wet paint and electrical hazards.

At First Mats, our range of signs has been selected to address various potential hazards. From janitorial signs, such as Wet Floors and Cleaning in Progress, to occupational risks, such as electrical hazards and machine maintenance signs.

Each sign is made from the same strong plastic materials, with a foldable design for easy storage and a bright yellow frame for excellent visibility.

You can view our full range of foldable caution signs for more information.

We hope you have found this guide on Wet Floor Signs to be helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team if you have any questions about caution signs or other items from our website.

See our full range of Safety Signage for more ways to boost safety in your workplace. 

Author:

Richard O'Connor's Headshot

Richard O'Connor is a Director at First Mats. He has deep knowledge in areas like Manufacturing, Warehousing, Marine, and Health & Safety. Richard's insights have been featured in well-known publications such as Bloomberg Business, The Sun, and Reader's Digest. His blend of industry expertise and passion for sharing makes him a sought-after voice in his fields.

Contact Richard