Safety Always Comes First: Creating a Walkway Safety Program

Student safety will always be on the top of every school administrator and facility manager’s list. In Philadelphia and throughout the mid-Atlantic region, every season brings with it its own set of possible dangers. Slip and fall accidents can occur any time of the year, especially in wet weather, and can lead to far more serious injuries.

Private and public-school facility managers will agree that the easiest way to prevent our precious children from possible harm is to ensure that building walkways and paths are thoroughly reviewed and deemed fit for students to trek through. To help school facility manager accomplish this, we have outlined some simple steps that they can take to create a walkway safety program.

Request a Walkway Safety Audit

A Walkway Safety Audit must be performed by a safety expert. Here at Health Mats, our staff are highly trained and know exactly what to look for and how to rectify any problems that they see. We take walkway safety very seriously and we care about the welfare of students. Therefore, we provide a free walkway safety consultation.

Our safety experts will conduct an on-site analysis and will be able to make specific recommendations on the spot. We can immediately tell you what your facility is doing right and what you can improve upon to ensure the safety of your staff and students. We understand that the task might seem a bit arduous for larger universities or higher education facilities, but our industry professionals will be able to walk you through all the proper steps.

Our seasoned professionals will explain the necessity of commercial mats for entryways and will let you know what other areas of your school facility need more protection from the weather and heavy foot traffic.

Entryways – They Either Make or Break You

I think it’s safe to say that everyone knows, not just us walkway safety professionals, that entryways generally experience the highest foot traffic of any walkway at your school. Students run a high risk of getting injured if your entrances are not properly protected with the right commercial mat. It’s not just the volume of traffic, it is what the students bring inside on the bottoms of their shoes. Students could be coming from anywhere – and hazardous materials are bound to follow them in. Most people don’t understand the dangers of dirt and debris that gets stuck in the crevices of shoes, especially during wet weather. When you combine rain, snow, and ice with dirt and debris – a slip and fall accident is bound to happen.

Commercial mats in entrances combat this combination by providing traction and a safe spot for your students to dry their feet. As a bonus, commercial mats also help to keep your building clean by absorbing and eliminating building contaminants. Simply installing the right commercial mat in front of your entranceway goes a long way toward your overall safety program for your students and staff.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Benjamin Franklin wasn’t wrong – preparing for the unknown today will save you from potential disasters in the future. Not only are you preventing your students from accidents, but you are also saving your school from the costly aftermath. With our commercial mats, you can actually combat the elements all year round. Facility managers must be forever vigilant and assess the grounds and entryways every single day.

Here Are Just a Few Things at the Top of our List:

• Ensure paths are always well lit – especially if your school facility is open in the evenings
• Look for irregular or uneven walking surfaces
• Check to see if there are any cracks or divots in the pavement
• Do you have the right size & type of commercial entryway mat?
• Is your entranceway mat – curling, taped down inadequately, worn down, fraying or lifting?

Those are just a few things; however, one of our safety consultants can give you a complete inspection for free. Peace of mind is priceless. Unforeseen safety hazards can pop up anytime- just like COVID-19. Here at Health Mats, we addressed this urgent issue by providing our schools with COVID-related mats and decals. We even have ways to keep your facility clean without the sterile smell.

Keep your students and staff safe and contact us today for a free walkway safety consultation.