The main goal for a commercial maintenance department when it comes to the floor surfaces is to make sure they shine. After all, that’s what they were directed to do by their boss, owner of the company, or manager of the overall facility. If you don’t have a great shine, the floor surface will not look its best. However, in some situations an intense shine could be a safety issue.
Consider sunlight and how it reflects off the surface.
Some surfaces could be extremely light in color, such as a white linoleum tile peppered with a few flakes of black for texture. If this floor surface is polished and waxed and then buffed to an intense shine, it could be just like a mirror reflecting the direct sunlight pouring through these massive windows that may stretch from the ground all the way to the top level of the facility.
If somebody’s walking through and is blinded by this light, it can cause a serious safety issue. It could also make it difficult to see booths, boxes, or other items that may be in the area for whatever reason.
Before polishing the floor surfaces, gauge the reflection of light.
If there are bright lights that become reflected in a sparkling shine and they can cause some visibility issues, it may be more prudent to replace the lights was something more conducive to clarity. If the sunlight is pouring through during the winter months, for example, because of the lower angle in the sky, it may be a good idea to either install shades or have the windows tinted to cut down on just how much direct sunlight comes beaming in.
Having a great looking shine to commercial floor surfaces is wonderful, but don’t overlook this commonly neglected aspect of safety. This doesn’t mean you have to stop buffing out those floor surfaces, but be diligent to take an honest look and assessment of how that may impact safety for anyone using the facility.