Polished Floors Are Slippery When Wet – No Matter What Your American-Made Slip Resistance Test Device Says!

Reliable floor slip resistance test devices include the pendulum floor slip resistance tester and the SlipAlert Tribometer (now known as the iAlert), which both measure the dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) of floors. In the United States of America, we have in the past (and present) allowed tile manufacturers and people who make their living … Continue reading “Polished Floors Are Slippery When Wet – No Matter What Your American-Made Slip Resistance Test Device Says!”

SparkleTuff Outdoors on Level Surface and Stairs: 30-second video

The video below shows an outdoor level surface and stairs at a large mall, coated with transparent SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip. A pedestrian walks down the stairs, which are partially wet from the previous day’s rain. With a material cost of about a dollar a square foot, SparkleTuff™ has excellent wet slip resistance by all respected test … Continue reading “SparkleTuff Outdoors on Level Surface and Stairs: 30-second video”

Many Polished Concrete Floors are Slippery when Wet

Can polished concrete floors be slippery when wet? Several web sites say yes, but others (mostly polished concrete vendors) say no, it only looks that way. A study of polished concrete published by the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) in Concrete International shows wet dynamic coefficients of friction (DCOF) as measured by ANSI A137.1 … Continue reading “Many Polished Concrete Floors are Slippery when Wet”

Beware of Slippery Finished-in-Place Floors Installed by Clueless Contractors

Some floors are covered with premanufactured stuff, such as marble, granite or ceramic tiles, wood, or vinyl composite tile. Other floors are created in place — including epoxy, terrazzo, and concrete. Topical sealers added to premanufactured floors also constitute a finished-in-place surface — the pedestrian is not walking on the flooring, but on the sealer. … Continue reading “Beware of Slippery Finished-in-Place Floors Installed by Clueless Contractors”

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?”

Why We Offer a “Recommended Tile Slip Test Package”

When our clients ask for an ANSI/NFSI A137.1 test we often recommend that they order a pendulum test as well. The pair of floor slip resistance tests is popular, and we offer a discounted price of $477.00 (for lab testing) when they are ordered together. The reason has to do with the A137.1 standard — … Continue reading “Why We Offer a “Recommended Tile Slip Test Package””

ANSI Issuing Another Standard Slip Test Method for Flooring Materials

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is issuing a new test method, with minimum dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF rating), for slip resistance of hard flooring materials, wet or dry, laboratory or field testing. No minimum DCOF is provided for exterior applications. The BOT-3000E digital tribometer is used for the testing. The Secretariat for the … Continue reading “ANSI Issuing Another Standard Slip Test Method for Flooring Materials”

Fixing Your Slippery Epoxy/Polyurea/Polyaspartic Floor

We are continually amazed at how often contractors will install an epoxy (or polyurea or polyaspartic) floor coating (especially to garages and outdoor walkways) with little or no effort to make it slip-resistant under its known conditions of use — namely, sometimes wet and/or greasy. This happens in commercial, industrial, and household situations. Here’s what … Continue reading “Fixing Your Slippery Epoxy/Polyurea/Polyaspartic Floor”

Introducing SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating

For over a decade, we have been on the search for a totally non-slip and very glossy floor coating that could help people who have had the misfortune of installing slippery tiles, or those who have slippery tubs or showers. We’ve seen several attempts over the years in our floor slip resistance testing business, but … Continue reading “Introducing SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating”

Top 10 Ways of Preventing Slips

Here’s a countdown of some of the most simple and cost-effective ways of stopping slip and fall accidents. 10. Post warnings when and where appropriate. 9. Use solings appropriate to the situation. 8. Chemically etch or grind concrete if it’s too smooth. 7. Make sure stairs comply with your local building code, and that nosings … Continue reading “Top 10 Ways of Preventing Slips”