Slip resistance testing is a legal requirement as part of any commercial premises’ ongoing risk assessment. Floors, particularly gymnasium floors, need to have enough grip to be used safely. If allowed to become dangerously slippery, serious injury could occur. Flooring maintenance is easy to carry out when you know exactly what is going on with it. Therefore, a slip test is a great way to ensure you know exactly how to maintain your floor in its current state.
The Legal Requirements For Slip Testing
Multiple workplace health and safety regulations require that workers, visitors and members of the public are safeguarded from harm. This includes the risk of slips, trips and falls. Companies must be able to prove that they have taken responsibility to assure that their flooring is safe for use, no matter whether the activities carried out are walking, dancing or competitive sport games.
Pendulum Slip Testing
A pendulum slip test is carried out using a specialist machine. The machine has an arm which replicates the movement of a pedestrian’s heel. The arm will swing and make repeated contact with the floor until the friction slows down the momentum. A needle records when momentum is totally gone. For the slip test to be accurate, it needs to be repeated with direction of travel, against it and diagonally, to ensure all of the grain is covered. The test can be done under both wet and dry conditions, to get the full picture of your premises’ slip potential.
Results are measured in numbers, with a score above 36 being excellent. A moderate score sits between 25 and 35, and anything lower will indicate a high slip potential.
The pendulum test is recognised by UK law. In the event of a claim, results of a pendulum slip test can form part of your defence, should a slip claim go to court.
How Often Should Your Floors Be Tested?
There is no legally dictated minimum frequency for slip testing. Most venues should carry out a slip test once per year. If your previous pendulum score was low, it may be wise to test more frequently to ensure your flooring doesn’t become dangerous. We would always recommend that any floors which score below 35 have appropriate treatment, to ensure they are safe for use.
For Slip Testing, Choose Courtship Flooring
If it’s time for your floor to be slip tested, get in touch with our team today. We carry out pendulum slip tests using specialist equipment. As well as that, our flooring experts can help you to take any further steps which may be required to make your floor safe again.
