Static coefficient of friction (SCOF) was formerly used to measure the slip resistance of a wet floor in the USA, but the test method (ASTM C1028) was withdrawn by the ASTM in 2014. Experts in the USA now know to use dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF), as the rest of the world has been using … Continue reading “Floor Slip Rating: SCOF vs. DCOF”
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ANSI A326.3 Acutest Does Not Predict Likelihood of Slip
A widely used floor friction test, American National Standards Institute A326.3, states in its introduction that “it can provide a useful comparison of surfaces, but it does not predict the likelihood a person will or will not slip on a hard surface flooring material.” The test assesses wet dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) using the … Continue reading “ANSI A326.3 Acutest Does Not Predict Likelihood of Slip”
What Makes a Good Safety Floor?
No matter the type of facility you operate, safety is important, and one of the more universal safety concerns is slips and falls. This can be a problem around entrances where people track in water from outside, or in areas of food preparations that are slick from frequent cleaning. The best way to mitigate these … Continue reading “What Makes a Good Safety Floor?”
How does ANSI A326.3 DCOF compare with Pendulum Test Value (PTV)? ANSI A326.3 is clearly not a safety test
The most recent American National Standards Institute (ANSI) dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) test method, ANSI A326.3, states that “hard surface flooring materials suitable for level interior spaces expected to be walked upon when wet with water shall have a wet DCOF of 0.42 or greater when tested … as per this standard.” The older … Continue reading “How does ANSI A326.3 DCOF compare with Pendulum Test Value (PTV)? ANSI A326.3 is clearly not a safety test”
Slip Prevention in Commercial Kitchens
Commercial kitchens are food production kitchens for businesses such as hotels, cruise ships, and restaurants. Unlike your home kitchen, there are more specialized pieces of equipment such as Sous vide machines, Ice cream makers, and industrial-grade deep fryers, grills and ovens. Another important difference is that these kitchens usually have more than one person involved … Continue reading “Slip Prevention in Commercial Kitchens”
Preventing Slip and Fall Accidents
There may be a lot of funny videos swirling around the internet showing people slipping and falling. But in truth, it’s not funny at all! In fact, falling from the “same level” and falling to “lower level” were the second and third highest injury causes of disabling workplace injuries in 2011. Naturally, you’d want to … Continue reading “Preventing Slip and Fall Accidents”
Great Female Alpinist Charlotte Fox, 61, Dies in Fall on Stairs at Home
Charlotte Fox, the first American woman to conquer three 26,000-foot or higher mountains and who miraculously survived a blizzard while descending after summiting Everest, has died at 61 after a fall on steep hardwood stairs at her Telluride, Colorado home. Her obituary was published by the New York Times on June 8. The Everest near-death … Continue reading “Great Female Alpinist Charlotte Fox, 61, Dies in Fall on Stairs at Home”
What’s the Cost of a Slip and Fall on a Commercial Property?
A recent article in Risk & Insurance (May 2018, p. 32) cites some data for costs of slip and fall claims. Claims can result in a sharp increase in insurance premiums. If the property is self-insured, costs can come directly off profit. Falls among adults are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury. Commercial … Continue reading “What’s the Cost of a Slip and Fall on a Commercial Property?”
Tools Essential to Slip Resistance Testing
At Safety Direct America, not only do we specialize in expert floor and tile slip resistance testing both in the lab and in the field, we also offer the finest collection of slip test instruments to help you determine and monitor your slip risk effectively. National standards-setting organizations including ASTM, ANSI, BSI, ISO, and others … Continue reading “Tools Essential to Slip Resistance Testing”
ASTM F2508 and the pendulum slip resistance tester
ASTM F2508 is based on a rigorous scientific study of 11 tribometers (or floor slip resistance test devices) that was held at the University of Southern California Medical Center. The peer-reviewed results were published in 2010 in the Journal of Forensic Sciences. Four tiles were tested with the 11 slip test devices, and later a … Continue reading “ASTM F2508 and the pendulum slip resistance tester”