Slips, trips, and falls are a leading cause of accidents in educational environments, affecting staff, students, and visitors alike. According to HSE statistics, these incidents remain one of the most common workplace hazards within schools, colleges, and universities. Fortunately, there are practical, cost-effective measures that can significantly reduce these risks.
From entrance areas to playgrounds and kitchens, safety starts from the ground up.
Creating Safer Learning Environments
In busy educational settings, it’s essential to implement flooring solutions that protect everyone on-site. For instance, entrance matting systems help to reduce the amount of water, dirt, and debris brought indoors—key contributors to slips and premature floor wear. Meanwhile, in areas like school kitchens, anti-slip mats provide crucial underfoot grip to prevent serious accidents.
In one case reported by the HSE, a school meals employee tragically lost her life following a fall on a kitchen floor. While extreme, incidents like this highlight the importance of good housekeeping and the need for suitable flooring safety systems throughout the premises.
Entrance Matting: A Frontline Defence
High-traffic entrances in educational buildings benefit greatly from specialist matting that’s designed to absorb moisture and trap dirt. The Premier Entrance Matting range from COBA is an ideal solution, offering:
•Durable interlocking PVC tiles designed for heavy footfall
•High-quality carpet inserts to improve moisture absorption
•Simple installation and cleaning
•Options for both indoor and outdoor use, including:
–Premier Plus Tiles and Premier Track Tiles (indoor)
–Premier Rib Entrance Matting Tiles (outdoor)
These systems are widely used across commercial and public sector environments and are particularly well-suited to the education sector, where safety, durability, and ease of maintenance are critical.
Beyond the Entrance: All-Round School Safety
While wet floors are an obvious hazard, dry dust and debris on smooth surfaces can also be dangerous, leading to slips and gradual floor damage. That’s why flooring safety should extend beyond just entrances. Areas such as sports halls, corridors, and external play areas should all be evaluated.
Playground matting, for example, helps reduce the risk of injury from trips and falls while also supporting safer outdoor activities. Impact-absorbing surfaces can be a valuable addition to early years settings and primary schools in particular.
A Proactive Approach to Risk Management
Education providers have a duty of care to maintain safe environments. A comprehensive slip, trip, and fall prevention strategy should include:
•Entrance matting in high-traffic doorways
•Anti-slip mats in catering and wet areas
•Outdoor safety surfacing for playgrounds and sports areas
•Regular cleaning and maintenance protocols
Explore COBA’s full range of safety flooring and matting products tailored for educational environments or call our knowledgeable sales team for expert advice.
