The National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) has announced the appointment of Heidi Wilcox, lab technician and field specialist with the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI), to chair the committee developing the "ANSI/NFSI B101.2 Test Method for Determining the Impact on Wet Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF) of Various Chemical or Physical Walkway Surface Treatments."
 
ANSI/NFSI B101.2 will address products and processes used to clean flooring, and the complex factors that interplay and impact Coefficient of Friction (COF) or walkway surface traction.
 
"We are excited to have Ms. Wilcox onboard as chair of the committee producing this vital, upcoming ANSI/NFSI B101.2 Standard," said Russell J. Kendzior, president of NFSI. "Heidi's training as a lab technician, field specialist, and NFSI-Certified Walkway Auditor make her well qualified to help lead this effort."
 
"As a researcher, my goal as ANSI/NFSI B101.2 Committee Chairperson is to develop a comprehensive standard to help end users use cleaning and traction-enhancing systems in their facilities to make them clean, safe, and cost-effective," said Wilcox. "Cleaning a floor should be tied to slip and fall prevention, which affects the overall health and safety of the indoor environment as well as the bottom line."
 
Members of the  B101.2 Committee – including university researchers, experts on slip and fall, manufacturers, end users, facility managers, and representatives of industry organizations – were chosen for their expertise in floor care and facility maintenance, and will be announced in a separate upcoming release.
 
The timeframe for completion of the B101.2 Committee's work is currently open, pending initial committee meetings to outline objectives, steps, and timelines.