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Safety Grooving
What Is Safety Grooving
Safety Grooving is a patented "scoring" process, done with special
diamond tools, that cut concentric circular grooves into existing floor surfaces creating
instant traction improvement on slippery floors. These shallow circular grooves act like
treads on a tire to help channel water away from the sole of the shoe and minimize
hydroplaning. The result is a floor surface which exceeds the highest safety standards for
slip resistance, as established by the Ceramic Tile Institute.
This preferred traction enhancement process could be applied to virtually any hard floor surface, in any area where slip and fall accidents tend to occur frequently.
What Surfaces Will It Work On?
Safety Grooving was initially developed for the restaurant industry to reduce slips and
falls on wet, greasy kitchen floor surfaces. Today, in addition to restaurant kitchens,
you will find Safety Grooving used in commercial kitchens such as colleges, universities
and banquet facilities. Safety Grooving has also been installed in hotel entryways,
walkways, on loading docks, handicapped ramps, concrete decks around swimming pools, in
locker rooms at country clubs, on cart paths at golf courses, shower areas and kitchen
areas in hospitals and prisons with excellent results.
 Brick |
Ceramic tile |
| Concrete |
Exposed aggregate |
| Glazed tile |
Marble |
| Porcelain tile |
Quarry tile |
| Quartz filled epoxy |
Terrazzo |
| Slate |
Terracotta tile |
The Safety Grooving Process
Using patented diamond tools, multiple concentric circles are scored into the floor
surface to a depth of about 30 thousandths of an inch, or the "thickness of a credit
card". These shallow grooves help channel liquids away so that they are not trapped
as a lubricating film between the sole of the shoe and the floor surface. The shoe retains
better contact with the floor surface and traction is improved, even when the floor is wet
or greasy.
How Safety Grooving is Installed
A Safety Grooving Installation Crew works with a specially designed grooving cart, which has a high speed drill motor. Attached to the drill assembly are the patented diamond cutting disks. A water source is connected to the machine, this water is used to lubricate and cool the diamond bits as it suspends the cutting residue in liquid slurry.
The Grooving
Machine is positioned over the area to be scored and the cutting disk is lowered to the
floor surface. Depending on the hardness of the material being Safety Grooved and the
desired groove depth, each cut takes from five to twenty seconds to complete. The machine
is moved to the next spot and 
the process is completed.
In a typical installation, a two-person installation crew can complete 500 to 800 square feet in an eight-hour shift.
There are number
of variables, which determine how large of an area can be Safety Grooved in a given period
of time. The hardness of the floor material, the number of cuts per square foot and
available drainage are the major factors.
Safety Grooving
Specifications:
Groove Pattern - Multiple, (2,3 or 4), concentric circles
Groove Width:
0.350 inch to 0.375 - (3/8th of an inch wide)
Groove Depth:
0.020 to 0.040 inch, depending on the application
The depth of the Groove is about the thickness of a credit card and half the depth of the
adjacent grout joints.
Maintaining Safety
Grooved Floors
Safety Grooved floors and decks are easily cleaned. In most cases, all that is required is
an occasional wash-down with strong stream of water. In food production and other areas
commonly exposed to grease the following, more aggressive, cleaning procedure is
recommended.
- Sweep the floor to remove debris
- Soak the floor with HOT water, using a mild degreaser if necessary
- Scrub the floor with a deck brush.
- Rinse the floor with HOT water
- Remove standing wash water with a Wet-Vac or Sponge squeegee
A Safety Groove’s
concentric circular pattern is about as wide as a tile grout joint, and only one third the
depth. So if you clean the grout, the grooved pattern will be a pushover. Local and state
health departments across the country including the Sate 
of California
have recommended Safety Grooving as the cleanable, accepted means of reducing slips and
falls. You no longer have to worry about ugly, uncleanable mats or any temporary solutions
that are less effective the more they are cleaned.
Proven Results from Safety Grooving
Historically, Safety Grooving has had an exceptional record of performance for example,
Wendy’s International showed a 55% reduction in slips and falls in their original
safety study in 1993. Kentucky Fried Chicken reduced their slips and falls 70% in their
preliminary study in 1995 and was so pleased with the results that they have contracted to
complete their remaining company owned units nationwide. Hardee’s Restaurants
completed their safety survey in August of 1995 and showed an 84% reduction in slips and
falls. These reductions in the number of accident at the Safety Grooved stores are saving
several hundreds of thousands of dollars in workers compensation claims, potential
lawsuits and training of new employees. Since slip resistant properties of Safety Grooved
floors are permanent, these reductions and savings can be expected to continue
indefinitely.
Coefficient of Friction On
Grooved Tiles
The Ceramic Tile Institute identifies a rating of 0.60 as slip resistant, 0.50-0.60 as
conditionally slip resistant, and below 0.50 as questionable. It has been determined by
laboratory testing that Safety Grooved tiles consistently measure well above the
determined threshold for absolute slip resistance. Safety Grooving is the "one of a
kind" process that achieves high levels of slip resistance for the entire life of the
surface grooved.
Increased
Traction With Safety Grooving Co-efficient of Friction Tests (Copies available upon request) |
For more information on
our testing please view our slip testing information page.
Cost
Savings
Safety Grooving sits very high on the cost/benefit curve. In a typical restaurant kitchen
with a heavy traffic area of 400 square feet, a Safety Grooving installation costs less
then $1400.00. This is a one-time charge. Unlike most other traction enhancement products,
Safety Grooving is permanent. Safety Grooved floors retain their effectiveness without
reapplication or special maintenance (in the long run saving you money).
Today, in the USA, the average cost to an employer for a slip/fall accident is more than $8,000.00. The entire cost of a typical Safety Grooving Installation will be instantly recovered if one accident is prevented. Safety Grooving can reduce the number of accidents by 84% or more, according to safety surveys of restaurants where Safety Grooving has been installed.
Why Safety Grooving?
Safety Grooving is the most effective least costly way to improve traction on wet floor
surfaces. This process offers many advantages over other traction enhancement methods.
Unlike safety mats, paint, acid etching or other chemical treatments, Safety Grooving
retains its effectiveness indefinitely, without special maintenance or periodic
reapplication. Mats wear out and are costly to replace. Acid Etching treatments can weaken
the floor structure, often reducing its useful life. Paint, as well as acid etching and
other chemical treatments must be periodically reapplied. These types of treatments begin
to wear away as soon as they are applied.
Reduces Costly
Law Suits
Reduces Compensation Claims
Reduces Increased Insurance Premiums
Provides Superior Traction
Can be installed on existing floors & walkways
Reduces Slip Fall accidents by 70%
Attractive and inexpensive
No Downtime - Overnight Installations
Dust Free
Chemical Free
Proven Track Record Nationally
No special maintenance required
No future reapplication expense
Will not discolor, chip or peal
Improves traction on wet and greasy floor surfaces
Retains its effectiveness indefinitely
Approximate cost per square foot $3.25 to $3.50
But Don’t Just Take Our Word For It...
| "We have not had any employee falls since we added the non-slip scoring to the tiles, compared to numerous falls prior. We consider the Safety Grooving one of the best management decisions we have made." |
| Charles Hill,
Owner of Zenith Investments (d.b.a. Wendy’s) |
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| Dwight
Colton, Manager The Fish Market Restaurant, San Diego, California |
| "Safety Grooving has not only proven to be a very valuable investment in the area of safety, but it has also increased the attractiveness of our Water Park facility. Many positive comments have been made about the grooves by our visitors, without the realization that (the grooves’) primary function is safety." |
| Dave Wetmore,
Deputy Director Leisure Services for the City of Antioch |
The National Floor Safety Group Ltd. exclusively offers Safety Grooving in North America, with independent dealers, professionally trained to install Safety Grooving on existing floor surfaces.
Over 30 years of making floors safer.
To be connected with a local dealer please contact us.
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AST (Anti Slip Treatment) |
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NEV-R-SLIP |
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SAFETY GROOVING |
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FLOOR SAFETY PRODUCTS |
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LOOKUP LOCAL DEALER |
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| ©1999 Floor Safety Group Ltd. developer@versys.net |
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