Werner Braun: Carpet a safety device on Dalton Daily Citizen-News!

Carpet and Rug Institute President Werner Braun continues his series of articles for the Dalton Daily-Citizen News with a column on a very important benefit of carpeted floors: added comfort and safety. In earlier columns for the paper, Mr. Braun discussed how carpet improves acoustics, and gave tips on the best ways to clean and maintain carpet for optimal health of indoor environments.

This article, titled “Carpet a safety device“, says, “The reasons people continue to put carpet on their floors are almost as varied as the choices of colors, patterns and textures of the carpet itself. Make no mistake; carpet is the floor covering of choice for a reason… Carpet continues to make our homes and businesses a better place by providing a softer surface that is ideal for cushioning our footsteps, reducing slips and falls and minimizing injuries when falls do occur; not to mention, carpet underfoot just feels better.”

The article mentions one study that shows carpet is 82 percent less stressful to stand on for prolonged periods compared to hard surfaces. Multiple studies show that pleasing surroundings play a vital role in job performance, and teachers and others who spend much of their workdays on their feet appreciate the cushioning carpet provides. In schools, carpet helps create a better learning environment for teachers and students alike.

Carpet also prevents slip and fall accidents that happen when there is too little friction or traction between footwear and walking surfaces. The most common slips happen on wet or oily surfaces, occasional spills, or loose, unanchored rugs or mats, and flooring or other walking surfaces that do not have the same degree of traction in all areas. The article continues to point studies that show that people – especially toddlers and the elderly – are less likely to be injured when falls do occur.

“Not to mention, have you ever dropped a dish or glass before? Chances are you probably spent the next few minutes cleaning up broken dish and glass if it wasn’t on carpet.

So what can you do to protect yourself and your family, specifically toddlers and older individuals, from slips and falls? Make sure that all rugs and mats are properly attached to floors, especially in bathrooms and kitchens where spills are more prevalent. As for all the other rooms in your house, properly installed carpet is the number one safety measure for slips and falls, and the best comfort.”