In a lot of older elementary schools the water fountains, sinks and counter tops are not designed with younger or shorter students in mind. Without a safe step stool the younger students either can’t reach the water faucets & water fountains or they struggle to use them. In certain situations this can cause the child injury, from a chipped tooth at a water fountain or if the student slips and falls while trying to wash their hands, a possible cut or broken bone.
Most schools are not aware that the step stools bought at the big box stores are not designed to handle a large amount of weight. Nor are they designed to keep from sliding. A safe step stool for an elementary school should be rated for at least 500 pounds so that even the big kids that are 300 pounds or more can use the step stool without injury. The flimsy step stools bought at the box stores cannot provide this level of safety. They are made as cheap as possible with as little material as possible so they can be sold for as little as possible.
The other problem with these flimsy step stools is that they either have very little rubber on the bottom to keep from sliding or they don’t have any rubber on the bottom. That’s fine if you’re using these flimsy steps on carpet because the carpet will help the step stay in place but on most surfaces around an elementary school, concrete linoleum, tile; etc… the step will slide. Especially if it is wet. So look for at the bottom of the step stool you plan to purchase for large rubber pads that will keep the step from sliding.
The shape of the step stool is also important. Stay away from wooden steps that have vertical walls, they tend to tip when a person stands on the edge. This makes them no safer than a plastic milk crate which resembles a box. Look for a wedge shape design that moves the student’s weight toward the center of the step and away from the edge. This type of step design will not tip over.
You have several different step stool models to choose from. Some are 6 inches high, some are 8 inches high and some are 10 inches high. You can choose the model that best solves your school’s problem. Choose what best suits your need in our website www.Shure-step.com
