Cleaning, spillages, wet floors and weather

Cleaning lowers risk but can create a temporary slip hazard. Rain, snow, ice, leaks, toilets, dropped drinks, lens solution, cleaning products, wet umbrellas and customers arriving from a wet pavement can all make floors unsafe.

Wet-floor controls

• Act quickly: clean small spills if trained and safe to do so, or isolate and report them.
• Use signs properly: signs alert people but do not dry the floor or make the route safe on their own.
• Control access: block or redirect people if a floor is too wet, contaminated or unsafe to walk on.
• Dry the floor: use the correct method and allow enough drying time before reopening the area.
• Watch entrances: mats should lie flat, absorb water and not create a trip edge.
• Report defects: leaks, drainage problems, loose flooring, poor lighting and repeated wet patches need follow-up.

Lens-care products, disinfectant sprays and cleaning fluids may also have COSHH or infection-control implications. Follow local procedures, use appropriate equipment, and escalate unknown substances, body fluids or chemical spills rather than guessing.

Cleaning schedules, shared premises and contractors

A wet-floor sign is a warning, not a control plan. The safest route is one where the floor is dry, the hazard is isolated, or people are redirected until it is safe.