Abstract

Previous laboratory work had identified the optimum conditions for using floor cleaners. This time, the work involved verifying in the field that proper maintenance improves floor-slip resistance. A dozen restoration companies and four hospitals participated in this preliminary study that demonstrates, among other things, that 89% of the zones exposed to greasy substances see a significant increase in their slip resistance following optimal maintenance. It also emerged that floor maintenance could be improved in almost all the visited establishments and that the workers seemed prepared to receive relevant training. The study also dealt with the regeneration of sandstone floors that have become slippery over time. A procedure has been developed to reproduce sandstone clogging and wear in the laboratory. The tiles thus prepared were used to evaluate the effectiveness of certain anti-slip treatments using chemical products. Hydrofluoric acid-based treatments proved to be more effective than bifluoride-based ones. However, the improved slip resistance of dry floors remains small.