ASTM D2047 – an unreliable, irrelevant and worthless “floor safety” scam

ASTM D2047 was first published by the ASTM in 1953 using the James Machine to assess the “safety” of Floor Wax and Floor Polish. It was never intended to be used to assess the safety of floors, but because about 99% of floor waxes back in the 1950’s “passed” this nonsensical “test” with greater than … Continue reading “ASTM D2047 – an unreliable, irrelevant and worthless “floor safety” scam”

Never, ever, EVER use the BOT-3000E and ANSI A326.3 to assess the slip resistance of a pool deck!!

Las Vegas is home to many pool decks, and far too often I have been called out to the “City of Sin” to test a pool deck that has caused slips and led to serious injuries to innocent vacationers. The pendulum dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) tester has been in use in over 50 nations … Continue reading “Never, ever, EVER use the BOT-3000E and ANSI A326.3 to assess the slip resistance of a pool deck!!”

Myth Busted: More Grout Lines Does Not Make a Floor More Slip Resistant

There’s a myth that tile manufacturers (especially manufacturers that sell tiny tiles) want you to believe, but it’s just a myth. There’s no science or proof behind the statement that more grout lines makes a floor safer. More grout lines doesn’t actually add any slip resistance to a floor with tiny slippery tiles on it, … Continue reading “Myth Busted: More Grout Lines Does Not Make a Floor More Slip Resistant”

New Australian Study Shows Sotter Engineering (Safety Direct America) is World’s Top Pendulum Floor Slip Resistance Testing Laboratory

A few years ago Sotter Engineering Corporation’s Safety Direct America (SDA) floor slip resistance testing laboratory participated in a global interlaboratory program that showed SDA to be one of the world’s three most accurate labs in use of the pendulum floor slip resistance tester. The pendulum is a national standard for pedestrian floor and tile … Continue reading “New Australian Study Shows Sotter Engineering (Safety Direct America) is World’s Top Pendulum Floor Slip Resistance Testing Laboratory”

Making Stairs Safe Utilizing Anti-Slip Grip Tapes and Anti-Slip Coatings

Stairs can be a major safety concern if they are not designed or maintained properly. The potential for falls and slips on stairs can be reduced by using anti-slip tape near the noses of the stairs, or using an anti-slip coating to cover stairs made with slippery materials, such as polished stone. In this blog … Continue reading “Making Stairs Safe Utilizing Anti-Slip Grip Tapes and Anti-Slip Coatings”

The Importance of Reliable Floor Slip Resistance Testing

Floor slip resistance testing is an essential process for ensuring safety in public spaces, workplaces, and homes. It helps to identify the level of slip resistance (or COF) of a floor surface, which is crucial in preventing injuries resulting from avoidable slips and falls. The most common floor slip resistance testing technique around the world … Continue reading “The Importance of Reliable Floor Slip Resistance Testing”

ASTM E303-22 Revolutionizes Floor Slip Resistance Testing in the USA

Floor slip resistance tests in the USA have historically been written by the members of the ASTM F13 committee. Comprised mostly of expert “liars for hire” that exclusively work for slip and fall attorneys, and representatives of the flooring industry, these tests have been based on either no science, or very little shady science. The … Continue reading “ASTM E303-22 Revolutionizes Floor Slip Resistance Testing in the USA”

Can a Floor be Too Slip Resistant?

As floor slip resistance testing experts with decades of experience, we’re sometimes asked if a floor can be too slip resistant, usually by someone who is trying to sell a flooring that is likely too slippery for a particular application. The answer, put simply, is no. There is no such thing as a floor that’s … Continue reading “Can a Floor be Too Slip Resistant?”

Slippery Epoxy Garage Floors – SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating to the Rescue

Our transparent abrasive anti-slip floor coating, SparkleTuff™, has been applied to hundreds of different kinds of floors, and we have yet to find a surface to which it won’t adhere. However, based on the number of frantic phone calls we get, home garage floors that have been newly coated with epoxy (or polyurea or polyaspartic … Continue reading “Slippery Epoxy Garage Floors – SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating to the Rescue”

2022 Revised ANSI A326.3 Has Five Situation-Specific DCOF Minimums — And Crucial Caveats

In February of 2022, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) issued a revised version of their “Test Method for Measuring Dynamic Coefficient of Friction of Hard Surface Flooring Materials.” The test method is called ANSI A326.3, and it sets a very low bar for DCOF in various flooring areas. Slip and fall accidents will likely … Continue reading “2022 Revised ANSI A326.3 Has Five Situation-Specific DCOF Minimums — And Crucial Caveats”