Slip resistance
Slip resistance test on Durbar
When tested by Wessex Test Equipment Limited, Durbar’s potential for slip was extremely low for the dry samples and low for the wet samples (see table).
Wessex tested new, bare samples (not painted or galvanised) in accordance with BS 79761 and UK Slip Resistance Group guidelines2 using the pendulum tester (see picture above).
The pendulum test uses a tubular arm that rotates on a spindle attached to a vertical pillar. At the end of the arm, a head of constant mass is fitted with a rubber slider. The pendulum is released from a horizontal position so that it strikes the sample surface with a constant velocity. The friction of the surface determines how far the head will travel after it strikes the sample. A hand on the dial of the pendulum tester records the value.
Each sample was tested in three directions: two perpendicular to each other and one at 45° between them. The first three readings in each direction were ignored and the mean was calculated from the next five readings.
The test results represent the risk category for reasonably active pedestrians aged between 18 and 60 walking in a straight line on a level surface.
The risk of slipping on a surface is determined by many factors, including the type and level of activity, the type of user and his or her footwear, the presence of a slope, whether the surface is dry or wet, the cleanliness of the surface and the amount of wear on it. New, unused surfaces are likely to have higher pendulum test values than the same material in-situ and in use.
Pendulum value |
Potential for slip |
|
0-24 |
High |
|
25-35 |
Moderate |
|
36-64 |
Low |
|
Above 65 |
Extremely low |
1BS 7976-2: 2002 Pendulum Testers scope for use in the determination of slip/skid resistance of surfaces.
2UK Slip resistance Group Guidelines (UKSRG) – The Assessment of Floor Slip Resistance – issue 3 Nov 2005.
