First ask House cleaning to stop waxing your floors. We did this to help
minimize the waxing effects that you have experienced. We had them strip the
floors and never wax again.
Second post a sign on your doors, that floors are slippery and leather shoes are
not recommended, we all ware sneakers with rubbers soles. 
Third scrapers are cheap and can be used in small areas, i.e. around the chairs
of the embedding stations. Do this each time you embed and you will reduce the
waxy build up. 
Finale you can buy mats to go under the chairs at the embedding stations , there
are many different types, you will have to decide which is best for you.

John T. Demirs B. A. HL (ASP)
Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine
Massachusetts General Hospital
Photopathology Dept. Edward 214
15 Fruit St.
Boston Ma 02114
617-726-6984 phone
617-726-1206 fax

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Andrew Shand [SMTP:Andrew.Shand@north-bristol.swest.nhs.uk]
> Sent:	Monday, February 24, 2003 11:59 AM
> To:	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	RE: anti-skid strategies
> 
> The answer, and it is expensive, is to lay matting which traps wax particles.
> This is non-slip itself and stops wax being tracked throughout the lab.
>  
> Andy Shand
> 
> 	-----Original Message-----
> 	From: lam-helen [mailto:lam-helen@ctimail3.com]
> 	Sent: 24 February 2003 17:01
> 	To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> 	Subject: anti-skid strategies
> 	
> 	
> 	Dear histonetters.  I wonder if anyone could share with me the way they
> deal with slippery floors in the paraffin sectioning area.  The story is like
> this.  Somebody from another lab entered our paraffin sectioning room (waxed
> vinyl flooring) in a pair of leather shoes.  She slipped.  We are not sure how
> it happened because none of us was there.  Was the accident caused by a little
> bit of spilt water on the floor, high heel leahter shoes or what?  The safety
> officer of our department got the report and wanted to prevent such things
> from happening again.   He believed that the slippery floor was caused by wax
> trimmings that had fallen off the bench-top onto the the floor.  In fact, long
> time age there was an article in a British journal supporting this view.  (The
> solution in the article, as far as I can remember vaguely, is the replacement
> of vinyl with textile type of flooring, but maintenance could be a problem).
> He also worried that tiny bits of wax trimmings could be carried on our lab
> coats to other places in the department.  Our department wanted us to submit
> some suggestions within 2 months to prevent similar accidents.   So, what do
> you think?  In the meantime, we try to keep the floor dry at all times, clean
> the bench of wax trimmings  2-3 times during and after sectioning, and put up
> warning signs around our 'slippery sectioning area'.  However, our department
> wants further suggestions and they may be willing to pay for a change of the
> flooring.  But of course, we don't want to make dumb suggestions that waste
> money before the cause of the accident is clear. Any of your suggestions would
> be a great help to us.   Recommendations from specialist in laboratory deisgn
> and flooring are also welcome.  Thanks in advance.
> 	Helen Lam
> 	Hong Kong
>