Tag Archives: slip test

Safety Direct America Calibrates Pendulum Skid Testers from Far and Wide

Like any scientific or engineering instrument, the pendulum skid tester (also sometimes called the British pendulum or pendulum slip tester) should be calibrated at least once annually. Safety Direct America, a subsidiary of Sotter Engineering Corporation, is the leading calibrator of pendulum skid testers in the Americas. We calibrate the pendulum using the latest British […]

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Suggested Specifications for Lifetime Slip Resistance of Flooring

When we’re buying new automobile tires we’d like to know not only that the tires are good at the time of purchase, but that they will have a reasonably long lifetime for us. Michelin, for instance, offers models with mileage warranties (within a time limit) from 36,000 to 80,000 miles. When buying slip-resistant flooring, customers […]

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Safety Direct America is Still Running at (almost) Full Speed

At this writing the death toll of Americans from COVID-19 is over 34,000. With the world upside down, the last thing you need is to have a slip-and-fall accident. Falls cause 28,000 premature deaths in the USA every year. Most of these deaths (some of which occur prematurely but months after the fall) are due […]

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DCOF Rating for Floors

The latest American slip test for floors is the DCOF rating test method specified in ANSI A326.3. Although this test is a much better test than the now-withdrawn ASTM C1028 that was previously included in the International Building Code, the new test method comes with a great deal of “disclaimers”, including the warning that a […]

COF vs. Pendulum Test Value (PTV to DCOF conversion table)

Pendulum slip (or skid) resistance data are usually expressed as PTV, Pendulum Test Value (or sometimes BPN, British Pendulum Number, or even SRV, Slip Resistance Value). The question has been asked, “What’s the coefficient of friction?” This number (dynamic COF – DCOF) was calculated decades ago at the U.S. National Bureau of Standards, and can […]

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Article published in The Construction Specifier magazine talks slip resistance

John C. Sotter and George Sotter of Safety Direct America were published in the July issue of The Construction Specifier magazine with an article talking about floor slip resistance and keeping floors safe for pedestrians. The article talks about the latest International Building Code (IBC) requirements for slip resistance, and its limitations as far as […]

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New Anti-Slip Floor Design Guidelines Aid in Safe Floor Selection

After consulting with many experts in the USA and abroad, including Safety Direct America, Specialty Architectural Products (SAP) in Toledo, Ohio has distributed four-page design guidelines (Design Guide – Anti-Slip) for floor slip resistance testing. The Slip Resistance Test Guidelines are intended to help building owners, architects, interior designers, specification professionals, and graphic designers, mainly […]

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Natural Stone with Sustainable Slip Resistance Wet

Flooring that gets high foot traffic and can get wet or greasy in use needs slip resistance (or skid resistance) that stands up well under wear rather than losing its wet slip resistance after a few weeks. McDonalds Restaurants spent years in research and devised a laboratory slip test that assesses how well the wet […]

How to Prevent Slips and Falls on a Swimming Pool Deck

Unfortunately, many swimming pool decks are slippery when wet as installed! This can and too often does lead to severe accidents for both children and adults. The deck that was supposed to supply fun for the family, club members, or the public becomes a liability that causes pain, suffering, expensive medical treatment, and income losses. […]

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, […]