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!”

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”

Your Questions About SparkleTuff™ Transparent Anti-Slip Floor Coating

Since Safety Direct America introduced its popular transparent anti-slip floor coating, SparkleTuff™, in September of 2016, we’ve fielded questions from thousands of prospective customers. Here are the most popular ones. 1. Will it adhere to my flooring (epoxy, vinyl, wood, tile, marble, granite, glass, etc.)? Yes. We have yet to find a flooring type that … Continue reading “Your Questions About SparkleTuff™ Transparent Anti-Slip Floor Coating”

Enhance and Preserve Your Stamped Concrete with this Clear Anti-Slip Floor Coating

Stamped concrete in various colors can be a cost-effective way of making a property look good and increasing its value. The concrete can be made to resemble tile, cobblestone, brick, slate, flagstone, etc. To keep the material looking fresh it needs to be “waxed” periodically using colored wax. There is labor and material expense involved … Continue reading “Enhance and Preserve Your Stamped Concrete with this Clear Anti-Slip Floor Coating”

What Should the Slip Resistance of a Bathtub Be?

Bathtubs, in hotels or homes, are in areas where slip accidents can be very serious or fatal because there are hard objects in close proximity that can be easily struck by the head after a slip — the side of the tub, the faucet, toilets and sinks. Bare feet are soft and essentially treadless, and … Continue reading “What Should the Slip Resistance of a Bathtub Be?”

Slip Resistance Safety for Industrial and Commercial Areas

Minimum wet slip resistance values (as wet Pendulum Test Values) for safety in many publicly accessible areas are listed elsewhere on this blog. But what about industrial areas used for very slippery operations like meat or fish processing, making mayonnaise or refining cooking oils, and for aircraft repair hangars? Guidance for these, recommended since 1999, … Continue reading “Slip Resistance Safety for Industrial and Commercial Areas”

Germany’s DIN 51130 Slip Test: What’s it Good For?

In Europe, a slip resistance test for flooring is prescribed by German Institute for Normalization (DIN) standard DIN 51130. A person wearing industrial-type treaded shoes walks, facing down slope, on a variable-angle ramp which has the flooring to be tested on it. The flooring is coated with motor oil. The walker (without holding the handrails) … Continue reading “Germany’s DIN 51130 Slip Test: What’s it Good For?”

Many Polished Concrete Floors are Slippery when Wet

Can polished concrete floors be slippery when wet? Several web sites say yes, but others (mostly polished concrete vendors) say no, it only looks that way. A study of polished concrete published by the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) in Concrete International shows wet dynamic coefficients of friction (DCOF) as measured by ANSI A137.1 … Continue reading “Many Polished Concrete Floors are Slippery when Wet”

Roughness and Wet Floor Slip Resistance

We all know intuitively that roughness has a lot to do with floor slip resistance. Very smooth floors tend to have low wet slip resistance, and to some types of shoe solings (as on some dancing shoes) can have low dry slip resistance too. However, “rough” appearing floors aren’t always slip-resistant, and this has to … Continue reading “Roughness and Wet Floor Slip Resistance”