A Warning Is a Control, and Controls Are Judged on Performance
Matting is the principal engineered control for tracked-in moisture. Its adequacy turns on the run length available to dry footwear, the construction and backing for the traffic volume, coverage across the full width of the walking path, and condition. Saturated, curled or displaced matting introduces the hazard it was installed to remove.
Illumination determines whether a measurable condition was also perceivable. Out-of-service fixtures, lamps well past their relamping interval, glare on a polished surface and abrupt transitions between bright and dim areas are documented where visibility is in issue. A sign left permanently in place is a related problem: it stops conveying that a hazard exists now, and both staff and visitors habituate to it.
