Specific Locations Where Slip Resistance Testing Is Crucial
Specific Locations Where Slip Resistance Testing Is Crucial
Popular culture has directed attention toward the importance of anti-slip items. In one episode of the popular American TV comedy series, “The Big Bang Theory,” the female character, Penny, slipped in her bathtub and broke her arm. This prompted her to seek the help of socially awkward Sheldon Cooper who, instead of helping her right away, assessed what had happened first and “conveniently” pointed out that her tub’s lack of adhesive duck stickers resulted in the slipping. It was quite a funny scene, but it definitely presented an important lesson about accidents: Accidents happen when people are negligent in doing what’s smart.
Slips and falls are common accidents, but in very specific situations and locations, it’s imperative that they are prevented from happening at all costs because the outcomes could be disastrous. Slip resistance testing is carried out at commercial and industrial locations to clearly establish the risk, as well as the various implements that can be applied to outwork the risk. This testing usually utilizes the British pendulum, SlipAlert Tribometer (now known as the iAlert), BOT-3000E, and the Tortus tribometers to test the coefficient of friction of flooring either at the location or within the testing agency’s certified laboratory.
And speaking of specific locations where slip resistance testing is a must for smooth and safe operations, some of them are listed below:
- Indoor and outdoor stairs
- Communal change rooms
- Entry foyers for hotels, offices, and all commercial establishments
- External ramps (those designed for the use of physically challenged individuals or the transport of heavy items using a cart)
- Food service stations (especially the food preparation area where spills of wet ingredients typically happen)
- Laboratories
- Hospitals
- Senior care facilities (to make mobility for the elderly not only easier but safer as well)
- Elevator lobbies
- Rental residential properties
- Supermarkets (particularly the frozen and fruit and vegetable sections)
- Recreation facilities (swimming pool and shower areas)
- Bathrooms or toilet facilities of commercial establishments
- Undercover concourse areas of sports stadiums
To fully establish the slip safety of these locations, the testing agency presents the coefficients of friction of flooring materials and surface treatments (the anti-slip products used) to facility managers so when testing results are released, they can make the smartest decision about flooring selection and treatments. They can either change the products they are currently using at the facility or add more to it so the right standards of protection and safety can be achieved.
We do not recommend using ANSI A326.3 to assess the slip potential of a floor. The test method was created by parties interested in helping American tile manufacturers sell slippery tile. When you need the truth about a floor’s slip resistance, we recommend relying on the 50+ years of international research in over 50 nations using the pendulum dynamic coefficient of friction test device. The latest American test for assessing slip resistance of floors is ASTM E303-22, which was updated in 2022 to more closely mimic the pendulum test methods from other nations around the world.