For retail establishments, slip and fall incidents pose a serious liability risk, especially at busy entrances where outdoor moisture creates dangerous walking surfaces. The Glendalough Village Shopping Centre, a community-oriented shopping center with nine specialty stores and an IGA supermarket at Glendalough, Western Australia, realized how important it was to address non-compliant slip resistance at their tiled entrance areas.
About Glendalough Village Shopping Centre
Glendalough Village Shopping Centre is a major community shopping centre that serves residents of the Northern Perth Suburbs, including families. Specifically, the distance between Glendalough and the central business district is six kilometers. The center serves residents’ everyday shopping needs with IGA Supermarket and nine other specialty shops.
The centre’s community-focused approach has established it as an integral part of local daily routines, with many customers visiting multiple times per week for essential shopping and services. This regular customer base, combined with the centre’s role as a convenient local alternative to larger shopping complexes, generates substantial pedestrian traffic that demands the highest safety standards across all entrance points.
The Slip Resistance Safety Challenge
At Glendalough Village, preliminary wet pendulum slip testing produced unsettling findings. When exposed to wet conditions, the shopping center’s two tiled entrances did not meet acceptable slip resistance standards. During the center’s daily operating hours of 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, these entry zones see a lot of foot traffic, which poses a serious safety risk to patrons and may expose center management to liability.
Conventional anti-slip measures like grip strips or textured overlays would have required constant upkeep and damaged the entrance areas’ visual appeal. The management of the center required a solution that would satisfy regulations without changing the aesthetic appeal of their current tile installations.
Anti-Slip Treatment Technical Solution Implementation
GripFactory’s UltraGrip invisible anti-slip treatment was selected to address the compliance issues. This liquid treatment creates microscopic grooves in the top layer of ceramic tiles, allowing water to flow away from beneath foot traffic while maintaining the original appearance of the surface.
The treatment process involved:
- Surface preparation: Thorough cleaning with GripFactory UltraGrip Cleaner to ensure optimal treatment adhesion
- Application: UltraGrip liquid applied to both entrance areas with a working time of 30-45 minutes
- Final cleaning: Complete removal of excess liquids to reveal the treated surface
- Immediate accessibility: Entrances were available for customer use immediately following treatment completion
Slip Resistance Performance Results
The UltraGrip treatment delivered measurable improvements in slip resistance while preserving the aesthetic integrity of the original tile installations. Post-treatment testing confirmed compliance with Australian slip resistance requirements, effectively eliminating the safety risk that had been identified during initial assessments.
Key performance benefits included:
- Invisible finish: No visual change to existing tile surfaces
- Immediate usability: No downtime required for entrance areas
- Chemical-free operation: No fumes during or after application
- Maintenance compatibility: Standard cleaning procedures remain unchanged
- Durability assurance: Five-year warranty coverage with proper maintenance protocols
Long-term Value for Shopping Centre Operations
The successful implementation at Glendalough Village demonstrates how modern anti-slip technology can address safety compliance requirements without compromising design standards or operational efficiency. The treatment’s invisible nature ensures the centre maintains its welcoming appearance while protecting both customers and the business from slip-related incidents.
For facility managers seeking compliance solutions that respect architectural integrity, the UltraGrip system offers a practical alternative to visible anti-slip installations. The treatment’s immediate effectiveness and long-term durability make it particularly suitable for high-traffic retail environments where safety and aesthetics must coexist.
Ready to enhance safety at your facility? Call +61 1800 864 747 to discuss invisible anti-slip solutions tailored to your specific requirements. GripFactory is committed to supporting safer workplaces across Australia – because everyone deserves to get home safely.
