Who can benefit?

I recently read about an old entertainment trick used in the musical theatre to reduce the slipperiness of the stage. They used to mop the stage with a weak solution of water and Coca Cola prior to every evening's performance. The sugary film made our soles stick to the stage. Doesn't sound like something I want to do to the floor in my house. Making a surface non-slip can help more than just the performers. From the customer to the family, Global Safe Technologies Inc. is providing the world with quality products and services.
My parents are having to deal with a time in their life when things just don't come as fast as when they were younger. My mom has fell a few times in the last year. My mom said that she feels safer in the bathtub because of the Global Safe non-slip treatment. I just can't help but think about all the people who could feel that way too if...well if you just thought that every customer was your mom or that the feeling of just knowing you done all you can do to provided a safe environment.
I went to many nursing homes and retirement center as an ambulance personnel. I can't think of one that can do without the help of Global Safe. Other than the routine transfer, the number one reason the ambulance pull out to go to the nursing home was a fall. The safety of the clients is the reason Global Safe has provided the the right safe solutions to make the floors, tubs, and stairs the safest as possible.
So no matter if your a commercial business or just the family member who cares, you can get all your safety problems solved by the safe solutions from Global Safe Technologies Inc.

Reasons why you should concern your self about the slippery floor

Farmers Insurance has just completed a newsletter telling you exactly what the benefits of having the Global Safe team on your side. Here is a copy of that newsletter:

Marvin Agency Newsletter
February 1, 2008 Volume 2, Number 2

In This Issue
·1 Workers Compensation Costs –Slip and Fall Injuries
·2 The Slip and Fall Hazard – A Solution
·3 About the Author

Find our More About Us Contact Us
www.marvinagency.com marvinl@marvinagency.com

Workers Compensation Cost – Slip and Fall Injuries

Workers Compensation insurance premiums are directly impacted by claims. Claims costs are the major factor in determining rates that are charged to businesses. For those individual policies that qualify for “experience modification” their individual company claims can have a significant positive or negative effect as well. Generally these “modifiers” are talked about in percentage factors so when a company generates a modifier above 1.00 they are at a competitive disadvantage with others in their industry.
Slip and fall injuries have a major impact on claims and should be treated with care. One study covering a one year period showed that over one million people in the United States suffered from a slip and fall injury with over 17,000 deaths. In the workforce we see about four million injuries a year with about 15% in the slip, trip, and fall category. Generally about 12 to 15% of all Workers Compensation costs are generated in the category with a significant amount of deaths. This varies by industry. For example, the food service industry sees about half of its injuries come from slip, trips, and falls.
With medical costs increasing we can predict that slips and falls will continue to contribute to the increase in workers’ compensation costs and the pain that more and more businesses feel. These costs continue to threaten the existence of some businesses, especially in some states.

The Slip and Fall Hazard – A Solution

The primary cause of slips is slippery surfaces compounded by wearing the wrong shoes. Traction is the force that allows you to walk on a surface without slipping. Experience shows that icy, wet, or freshly waxed surfaces have low traction while surfaces like dry rough concrete have good traction. Another way to look at traction is by measuring the “coefficient of friction”. Its measurement depends on the quality of both the surface we are walking on and the footwear we are using. To help prevent slips and falls, a high coefficient of friction (COF) is desired. On icy, wet, or oily surfaces we can see COF as low as .10 with footwear that is not slip resistant. With a dry brushed concrete surface and a rubber heel we generally expect a COF of greater than 1.0. Providing the proper surface and encouraging proper footwear is the answer to reducing many slip and falls.

In work areas which are likely to be slippery, non-skid floor coatings / surfaces should be used. Working to make sure that the surface is smooth with no “trip” hazards. Rises in a surface area as little as 3/8 inch can cause a person to trip. Slippery stairs are an obvious issue, especially if not designed with standardized steps, rails, and landings.

While employers can influence the footwear that their employees wear the real safety control for slip and falls is squarely on the treatment of the floor surface. Increasing the COF will reduce the risk of slip and falls. By installing the proper abrasive coating / floor you can reduce the risk. There are coatings that are formulated to resist grease, oil, water, and a wide range of chemicals. It is important to purchase the correct product for your particular issue and have it properly installed. Talking to an expert in the field (like the folks at www.globalsafeusa.com) is important in picking the right application for your needs.

About the Author

The Author, Marvin Lessmann, is a national known insurance and risk management expert.
Key Facts:
Marvin Lessmann, II, JD, CPCU, ASLI
Past President—
Los Angeles, CA — CPCU Society
Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles Insurance Managers
Houston, TX - Houston Insurance Association

Marvin Lessmann Insurance Agency has been staffed with insurance professionals experienced in helping insure clients of all types and sizes. Marvin has handled insurance programs for a significant number of major national businesses, movie/entertainment industry accounts, associations, groups, and individuals. He is one of the most experienced insurance professionals in the United States having attained the coveted Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. Marvin has also completed many other insurance education and advanced degree programs. He has worked with numerous insurance industry organizations as an officer, and has helped to develop several nationally recognized insurance products. Marvin is using his expertise, and has developed staff, to help his clients.

Let's Dance

OK folks, it's time to start creating the masterpiece. You have seen the "KFC dance and slide" video on you-tube but in the works now is the safety dance video that can help provide your employees the training they need to walk, slide, dance, even FALL on the floors of your business. You may laugh at the video, but all across the United States there are restaurants, stores, hotels, schools, and other business that need floors treated. The problem is that concern about a safe floor is drowned out by the need to retain employees. I know this from experience, like I said, I was a contractor and other than my own father, there were only two people on whom I could depend. The problem of employee retention is compounded by job duties and the need to keep products or services available. Maybe being more concerned about the safety of the employees could increase the longevity of employment.

Why are floors slippery? Because, "No tile surface stays slip-resistant forever."
(http://www.ceramic-tile.com/tileman.cfm)

How can you measure a floor's slipperiness? By measuring the Coefficient of Friction (COF), which is a mathematical term used to describe the effect of dragging one substance (shoe sole material) over another (flooring surface). Here's something to think about:

"People can walk safely on surfaces that are more slippery than ice, if they know of the hazard. In fact, some surfaces (such as dance floors and bowling alley approaches) are waxed to make them slippery, and nobody falls down from walking over them. But if an unexpected slippery spot occurs on a floor with an overall COF of 0.5, a classic heel slip could be expected to occur."(http://www.ceramic-tile.com/tileman.cfm)

http://www.antislipsafetyfloor.com/

Over 90% reduction in slip-fall cases

I said over 90% reduction in the slip fall cases in my first entry because that's the result of a case study that was done in a five-star hotel here in Little Rock. Taking the usual 10+ falls per year down to one in 14 months is a wonderful safety accomplishment. The insurance loves it too. That is why the Farmers Logo is on our website. We are also in the process of posting information from our friends at Farmers Insurance about how your rates can be lower by the reduction in slip-fall accidents. It is sad that it comes down to the money. I have worked my way from the bottom to the top and there are individuals who are working hard to pay for their children's school books, gas for the car, and heat for the home. That is why I am wanting more employers, architects, contractors, and safety officers to take a look at what Global Safe products can do for their peace of mind.

Having a safe working environment is the goal of Global Safe Technologies and the result of the product and services they provide.

http://www.antislipsafetyfloor.com/

Bathtub Safe!

One of my first job assignments here at Global Safe Technologies was to visit a job site and film the bathtubs of a very nice facility receiving a anti-slip surfaces. "Three steps is all it takes," said Steve, the employee giving each of the tubs a new life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTI7WR_oeE8

I was amazed at the way the tubs looks after the process was complete. My professor who help me film was also amazed at the result. The client was very pleased by the way Global Safe was able to work around the guest and get to job finished quickly and without any problems. He went on to say the tubs used were high quality case iron tubs, and he felt like rejuvenating these tubs was a better solution than replacing the tubs. After witnessing the process I have to agree with the client.

I finished the video and posted it to you-tube ---the next day two professors wanted to know about the product for their tub. I mention to my parents about the video and they both said we need that done to our tub. Their tub is in the second oldest brick house in Bryant. When I brought the Global Safe kit home my dad commented that this was the test of all tests! Their tub was slick and had rust stains with a gray haze on the bottom. Since the ancient tub was treated the bottom won't allow you to push your fingers across it. The stains and gray haze are gone. My mother told me the next day that she could really feel a different in the tub surface. She is happy with me which is a good thing when you want some of mom's sugar cookies.

Check out another old tub that was sitting out in a field being used as a watering trough.

http://www.antislipsafetyfloor.com/

Who am I?

Hi.
I am a father who has started back to college after 15 years in Arkansas on four ambulance services and as a construction worker/contractor. I am currently employed by Global Safe Technologies as an intern through the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. As a college student I have the wonderful opportunity to write about this company and their products/services. I am enjoying working for this company because I believe the owners are providing needed products/services.
Working in both the construction and medical settings I have seen various cases where a slippery floor has cause serious injury. We all know that accidents happen, but if you could reduce that chance by over 90%, why wouldn't you? As an Emergency Medical Technician, I went inside several fast food restaurants that had floors that were almost impossible to walk on. One manager said, "Don't pick up your feet just slide them along." This is just one of the experiences I can recall from a medical run where a woman fell while refilling the salad bar at the local lunch stop.
After retiring from the emergency medical field, I continued to see preventable accidents occur from slippery surfaces. I can recall one accident when I was working in the lumber yard. It happen to a man who had the job of climbing to the top of a stacker and with a stick that had a hook on the end, pulling the lumber that was stuck so it would fall into the bid. He climbed an old metal ladder. It did have the holes punched through from the bottom side so the top would grip good, but over the years of climbing up and down, the runs were worn. On the day of his injury, rain was dripping through the holes in the tin, running down the ladder. The man was flown to the hospital.


I am a writer expressing my life experiences in relation to the products and services of Global Safe Technologies.

http://www.antislipsafetyfloor.com/