We often hear the question, “What does OSHA require for floor slip resistance?” The answer is that OSHA doesn’t require anything, but nevertheless has caused a lot of confusion for employers and the public on this subject. There has never been an official OSHA slip test or safety standard for flooring. In a nonmandatory appendix […]
Tag Archives: skid test
When Should You Test Flooring for Slip Resistance?
Many building owners find themselves in trouble after a refurbishment or new build, because the flooring is unexpectedly slippery when wet. An entrance lobby, restroom, pool deck, spa, or factory floor are common locations where this problem occurs. When should flooring be tested for slip resistance? Some architects might say, “Never.” Many lawyers might say, […]
Does ANSI Tile Spec A137.1 help protect you from liability for slipping accidents?
If you specify or buy flooring based on a minimum wet dynamic coefficient of friction of 0.42, you may be vulnerable to charges of negligence if a slipping injury occurs on that floor. Here we tell you why, and how to avoid the situation. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) issued its standard A137.1, “Specifications for […]
Head Off Litigation with Third-Party Confidential Periodic Floor Slip Resistance Testing
Slips and falls can result from a wide range of causes. To avoid litigation your commercial property needs to be immune to claims that your negligence caused an injury. The most effective way of doing this is to have Safety Direct America periodically slip test your floors for slip resistance, and have your floor care […]
Improving the World’s Most Sophisticated Floor Slip-Resistance Safety Standards
In June’s post we discussed situation-specific slip resistance safety standards, which reflect the use or function of a floor and the friction (coefficient of friction) demands placed on it. Many U.S. floor friction standards are “one size fits all” — for instance, a wet dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) of 0.43 is considered adequate for […]
Three Common Fallacies about Floor Slip Resistance
There are three widely-held misconceptions about pedestrian slip resistance. If you’re aware of them it can help you avoid a nasty, expensive, and possibly life-changing surprise. Fallacy #1: “If a floor has a matte finish — that is, it’s not “shiny” —, it won’t be slippery when wet.” Truth is, many floors that have a matte […]
Situation-Specific Floor Slip Resistance Testing Standards
In the USA, pedestrian slip resistance standards for flooring have traditionally been pass-fail. For instance, a coefficient of friction (COF) of 0.60 might be considered “safe” but 0.59 was “not safe.” This applied to any situation provided the floor was level. Recently the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has published some standards that are a […]
BOT-3000 Data Can Help Building Owners Monitor Changes in Floor Slip Resistance
Periodic testing of your company’s floors’ slip resistance can detect problems so they can be solved before they cause an accident, and can help verify that there are no remaining problems. Routine monitoring slip tests are typically conducted quarterly, semiannually, or annually. However, various unrelated pedestrian factors such as prescription and non-prescription drug use, intoxication, […]
Anti-Slip Transparent Coating Lets Hotels Eliminate Tub/Shower Mats
Most hotels and motels with slippery bathtub and shower floors have been using suction cup mats to give bathers safer footing, albeit only on a small part of the slippery surface. These mats need to be laundered daily or they will harbor bacteria, foot fungus and mold. Because of the laundering the mats deteriorate quickly […]