Slips lead to new safety standards

Press, 6 October 1988, Page 34

Slips lead to new safety standards

PA Wellington Concern over increasing numbers of claims for injuries caused by people slipping — $2l million worth of slips — has prompted the Accident Compensation Corporation to bring in a flooring safety standard. The standard will be introduced by the Standards Association on October 14, followed later by a slippery surface rating system and footwear recommendations. In the year to March 31, the corporation paid out $2l million on 16,258 claims for slipping and tripping injuries, a financial analyst, Ms Leanne Robertson said. Of these 34 per cent were for accidents in the home, 18 per cent in a recreational place or sports area, 13 per cent in an industrial place and 10 per cent on a road or street. Ms Robertson said the figure would be higher, but did not take into account accidents treated by general practitioners under the bulk-billing system. A Standards Association technical adviser, Mr Harry Benis, said the cor-

poration had paid out about an average of $9 million a year for slip injuries in previous years. In recent years, problems with slippery surfaces on shopping arcade floors had drawn many complaints. Architects and their clients had not been aware of the dangers posed by some types of flooring and had chosen slippery materials such as granite and marble. Mr Benis said the effectiveness of the new flooring guidelines, which we r e not mandatory, would depend on how seriously these were taken. Some manufacturers were already aware of the problem and were developing slip-resistant flooring. He said a specification for evaluating floors would be introduced next year. Footwear was also a factor in slips, so the corporation had commissioned research into footwear. High-heeled shoes and those with metal inserts on their soles to prevent wear were a particular problem, he said.