Linda (66) and James (67) have been living in Airport West (Victoria) for more than 25 years. The retired couple’s desire is to remain in their home, therefore they began to look at long-term solutions that would improve their safety. They identified the major risk areas to be slippery surfaces and decided that a non-slip coating for their bathroom and verandah would be the most effective.
Linda and James have an active lifestyle. Maintaining their independence is important as they wish to continue enjoying visiting family and friends, entertaining, gardening and visiting Melbourne’s Art Centre to enjoy the ballet and opera. Addressing the safety and comfort of their home was part of Linda and James’s long-term solution.
Slippery shower
The bathroom was renovated one year ago. Linda noticed the tiles became very slippery when wet. “I felt I was walking on thin ice in my bathroom,” she explains. “I really felt like I could slip and injure myself. That is why I wanted to eliminate the slipping risks as quickly as possible.”
As a short term and cost-effective solution, Linda tried a shower mat. However, after just one month the mat was impossible to clean and it started to slip away from the tiles. “The shower mat wasn’t a safe solution. I needed to look for a product that lasts and is easy to clean.”
Non-Slip Shower
After significant research, Linda decided to have a non-slip coating applied to the tiles: Swiss GriP Non-Slip. This transparent, UV-stable coating creates a slip-resistant layer on every surface and cleaning is effortless due to it being water and dirt repellent. The coating was applied by roller with the Swiss GriP Non-Slip Application kit.
Importantly, the coating is certified by CSIRO Australia and slip-resistance for barefoot and wet areas is guaranteed. “The Swiss GriP Non-Slip coating is excellent,” says Linda. “Even when there is water and soap on the floor, I feel safe. I can’t even see the coating on the tiles but now I feel confident I can take a shower without compromising my safety. It feels a bit like walking on a wet sandy beach.”
Swiss GriP Non-Slip Bathroom Kit 1.2m2
Non-slip verandah
Four months after the installation of Swiss GriP Non-Slip in Linda and James’s shower, a new safety hazard arose. Linda returned home after a visit to her mother on this particular rainy day. Rushing from her car into the house, Linda slipped on the verandah, falling on her hip.
Fortunately, an x-ray showed there were no fractures. “It was a blessing that I didn’t break anything,” Linda recalls. “I couldn’t walk for a week and I knew that, like our shower, something had to be done.” Linda contacted Swiss GriP Australia to ask if they could provide a non-slip solution for outdoor areas.
The verandah and steps made up an area of approximately 15 square metres. Dieter Stelker was responsible for the application process of the coating to the tiles. In this instance, Swiss GriP Non-Slip PRO was installed.
Prior to installing the non-slip coating, the tiles were thoroughly cleaned. Dieter said, “To make such areas slip-resistant quickly, we apply the non-slip coating with an airless sprayer, instead of the standard roller application. We also applied our primer, which increases the adhesion and durability of our coating on high traffic areas”. The application was completed within several hours and already trafficable after 10 hours.
Swiss GriP Non-Slip coatings can be applied to every surface: acrylic bathtubs, ceramics, marble, pools decks, timber and glass panels. Swiss GriP Australia is the official distributor of the Swiss GriP Non-Slip coatings in the Australasia region. The coatings are made in Switzerland by GriP Safety Coatings and have been used world-wide since 1995.
www.swissgrip.com.au
