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!!”

Renting a Pendulum Floor Slip Tester: A VERY BAD IDEA!!

At Safety Direct America, we have been experts in pendulum floor slip resistance testing for well over two decades. We calibrate pendulum slip resistance testers for companies and government agencies around the world, and we made most of the updates to the latest version of the American test method for use of the pendulum dynamic … Continue reading “Renting a Pendulum Floor Slip Tester: A VERY BAD IDEA!!”

View English XL and Mark IIIB Floor Friction Data with Suspicion

A recent paper published by Siegmund et al. called “Quantifying the uncertainty in tribometer measurements on walkway surfaces” states that data from the English XL and Brungraber Slip-Test Mark IIIB are “less accurate than they appear.” This is in part because the user is “a key component to the system,” influencing the numerical outcome of … Continue reading “View English XL and Mark IIIB Floor Friction Data with Suspicion”

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!”

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”

SCOF Testing Never Has Been and Never Will Be Relevant To Assessing Floor Slip Resistance

Floor coefficient of friction (COF) testing is the measuring of the slip resistance of a flooring surface. The static coefficient of friction (SCOF) is the force required to start an object moving relative to the surface, divided by the weight of the object on the floor. It is a measure of the resistance to sliding … Continue reading “SCOF Testing Never Has Been and Never Will Be Relevant To Assessing Floor Slip Resistance”

Abandoned, Withdrawn and Flawed Floor Slip Resistance Test Methods Continue to Plague the USA

Slip and fall accidents can have serious consequences, leading to injuries and even fatalities. That’s why it’s crucial to ensure the safety of floors, particularly in public areas such as shopping centers, hotels, and hospitals. However, not all floor slip resistance testing techniques are created equal, and some American tests have even been withdrawn or … Continue reading “Abandoned, Withdrawn and Flawed Floor Slip Resistance Test Methods Continue to Plague the USA”

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”