Understanding Slip Resistance Testing

Slip resistance testing is still a new topic to most people. People do not know that they walk upon floors that have undergone several tests to make sure that they are safe for them to walk upon. In this article, you will get t see the different slip resistance tests that are commonly used to ensure that floors are safe for pedestrians.

The types of slip resistance tests:

  • Wet pendulum slip resistance test
  • Dry floor friction slip resistance test
  • Wet barefoot slip resistance test
  • Oil wet ramp slip resistance test


The Wet Pendulum Slip Resistance Test

This is the most common slip resistance testing method and is done using a Wessex or Munro-Stanley London Pendulum Friction Tester. This is a portable pendulum device used in testing floor slip resistance. It has a weighted foot and a test slider, which swings down in order to slide across the surface that has been wetted with water. It has a spring-loaded rubber test slide, which will exert a certain force on the surface of the floor when it is sliding across the floor. The result that is gathered is the one that shows the slip resistance of the flooring material.

The Dry Floor Friction Slip Resistance Test

This is another method used to test slip resistance. It uses a battery operated machine called the Tortus or Dry FFT. This machine takes measurements of the force that is pushing against the motion of the 9 mm diameter test slider. This slider is made of Four S rubber and is made to slide across at the rate of one meter per minute. At least two measurements are taken and their average is called the Coefficient of Friction. These are then used to calculate the slip resistance of the floor. It is a ratio of the horizontal and vertical forces of the floor.

Wet Barefoot Ramp Slip Resistance Test

This is a test in which a panel of the test surface is placed on a ram that allows a person to walk on it. The test persons are attached to a safety harness and then asked to walk across the ramp as it is slowly tilted. The test persons must have washed their feet to soften the skin. The walking is doe until the threshold is reached and the test persons fall off or slip. This angle is now called the Mean Angle of Inclination and is used to determine the slip resistance of the material

Oil Wet Ramp Slip Resistance Test

This is used to test materials used for industrial flooring applications. Motor oil is used and the test persons wear the kind of safety boots worn in industrial environments.  The test persons are secured safely and then asked to walk across the treated surface until they slip off. The Mean Angle of Inclination in this case is also used to determine the slip resistance of the material when it has a spill of oil on it.

These are some of the most common slip resistance methods used in the world today.