International Business Machines Corporation

David J Tolley

Colin Ian Holyoake

Sarah M Drewery

Julian D Williams

A flooring element is provided for a raised floor including removable flooring panels and a supporting structure with a load bearing surface. The flooring element includes a warning element operable for moving between an inactive position in which the warning element is substantially concealed by the surface and an active position in which the warning element projects beyond the surface to form a visual hazard warning indicator. The flooring element may be for example a flooring panel, a stringer, a pedestal, an insert for a pedestal or an insert for inserting between a sub-floor void and a flooring panel.

Hazard warning system

A flooring element is used in a raised floor having removable flooring panels and a supporting structure and having a load bearing surface. The flooring element includes a roll of flexible sheet material mounted on the flooring element. The flooring element may include a flooring stringer or an insert. After removal of an overlying flooring panel to reveal an opening to a sub-floor void, the roll of flexible sheet material may be extended from the roll and affixed to an attachment means at an opposite side of the opening so as to substantially cover the opening and provide a warning of a removed panel.

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Southampton, United Kingdom

David J Tolley