Copyright © 2012 National Floor Safety Institute

Causes of Slips, Trips and Falls

 Cost to The Education Industry

• The average slip-and-fall claim

cost - $3,600 - $5,200

• Estimated annual cost to the

education industry - $5 Billion

• Same level slips, trips and falls

are the leading cause of W.C.
injury and second leading cause
of G.L. injury
 Public School Work W.C. 2010-2011

• Accident Type Tot Inc. # Claims Avg. Cost / Claim

• SLIP-FALL $19,056,536 3607 $5,283

• OVEREXERT. $12,286,609 1642 $7,483

• BODILY MOT. $6,280,533 1025 $6,127

• FALL-ELEVATED $6,116,092 799 $7,655

• STRUCK BY $4,816,250 2023 $2,381

EMC Insurance
 Legal Costs

• Average cost of litigation now exceeds $61,000

• Average slip and fall settlement is $24,000

• Average jury award tops $100,000

• Since 1980, personal injury lawsuits have risen by

more than 300%
 Public School Lawsuits 2010-2011

•Accident Type Tot. Inc. # Claims Avg. Cost/ Claim

•LAWSUITS GEN. $5,618,646 414 $13,572

•SCHOOLS GEN. $2,557,205 1072 $2,385

•SLIP/FALL $1,964,383 542 $3,624

•GL MISC $379,901 106 $3,584

•STRUCK BY $145,944 142 $1,028

EMC Insurance
 Most Common Locations

• Building Entrances

• Exterior Walkways

• Bleachers

• Teachers Break Room

• Parking Lot
 The Problem is Escalating

• The average victim of of a

slip-and-fall is a women
age 60 or older

• By the year 2030, nearly 1

out of every 5 workers will
be over the age of 60

• The total estimated annual

cost for slips, trips and
falls tops $80 billion

Source: Perot Charts (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008)

 For every slip-and-fall fatality

23 people will fall and

report a minor injury

…and 70 people will fall

and go un-reported

Slip-and-Fall Safety Pyramid

Contributing Factors

• Physiological
• Balance
• Hearing
• Vision

• Social
• Age
• Health/Medication
• Preoccupation

• Environmental
• Flooring
• Lighting
• Hazards
 Social

Causation

Physiological Environmental
Things a Floor Mat Should Not Do
…But often does

• Buckle

• Crack

• Flip over

• Migrate

• Fail to contain water

 Mat Soil and Moisture Removal
Requirements

Windsor Corp
•How Household Floor Cleaners Stack Up
Multi‐Industry Problem A.K.A “The Blame Game”

School District Janitorial Ind. Insurance Ind. Legal Ind. Medical Ind.

The ANSI B101 Committee on Slip, Trip
and Fall Prevention

ANSI B101.0 – ANSI B101.8 Standards

 ANSI/NFSI B101.0-2012

• Scope: Scope: This standard provides the technical

procedures for walkway auditing and measuring the
coefficient of friction (tribometry) of walkway surfaces in
both public and private facilities.

• Purpose: The purpose of this standard is to provide

specific methods and procedures for the performance of
a walkway audit, which may, by its performance, reduce
or prevent injuries and fatalities from slips and falls.
 ANSI/NFSI B101.1-2009

• Scope: This test method specifies the procedures and

devices used for both laboratory and field testing to
measure the wet Static Coefficient of Friction (SCOF) of
common hard- surface floor materials.
• Purpose: This test method provides a measurement
procedure setting forth traction ranges that facilitate
remediation of walkway surfaces when warranted.
 ANSI/NFSI B101.1-2009

Table 1. Defines three “Traction Levels” or

wet SCOF ranges

High-Traction (SCOF of 0.6+)

Moderate Traction (SCOF of 0.4 - 0.6)
Low Traction (SCOF of <0.4)
 ANSI/NFSI B101.3-2012

Scope: This test method specifies the procedures

and devices used for both laboratory and field
testing to measure the wet dynamic coefficient of
friction (DCOF) of common hard-surface floor
materials.
Table 1. Defines three “Traction Levels” or wet DCOF
ranges

High-Traction (DCOF of 0.42+)

Moderate Traction (DCOF of 0.30 – 0.42)
Low Traction (DCOF of <0.30)
ANSI/NFSI B101.5-2012
Tribometers
 ANSI B101.0 - B101.8 Standards

B101.0-2012: Walkway Auditing Guideline (WAG)

B101.1-2009: Wet Static Coefficient of Friction (SCOF) method
B101.2: Floor cleaners and treatments (NFSI 101-B)
B101.3-2012: Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF) method
B101.4: Wet barefoot standard (ie: bathtubs, pool decks, etc.)
B101.5-2012: Product labeling (flooring materials)
B101.6-2012: Entrance floor matting
B101.7: Wet or wet/oily test method for footwear outsoles
B101.8: Floor safety management program
 Look for the NFSI Label

Your guarantee that this

product has been
independently tested to
the industries highest
standard and is certified
by the NFSI as “High-
Traction”
 What Should You Do

• Audit your floors per the ANSI/NFSI B101.0 Standard

• Use only NFSI Certified floor care products, mats and

equipment

• Engineer out problem areas

• Establish a employee footwear policy

 So How Will This Affect You?

• Reduced Injury Claims:

• Litigation Defense:
• Voluntary compliance will reduce claims of negligence
and will serve in building an evidentiary trail of due
diligence

• Insurance:
• Underwriters may soon require walkway audits and use
the data as a basis for basing future premiums
 How to Participate

NFSI
P.O. Box 92628
Southlake, TX 76092
(817)749-1705
www.nfsi.org
russk@nfsi.org