Slip Resistance Testing Services and Anti Slip Treatments 

Slip Resistance Testing of Floor and Paving Surfaces

The Health & Safety Executive reports* the following statistics in relation to slips and falls, which represent:

33% of all reported major injuries
20% of over-3-day injuries to employees
2 fatalities per year
50% of all reported accidents to members of the public
cost to employers £512 million per year
cost to health service £133 million per year
incalculable human cost

There is a duty of care upon designers, architects, installers, contractors and distributors, to ensure that flooring surfaces are ‘fit for purpose’. One of the key components is the so called ‘slip resistance’ of the product, in both dry and wet conditions.

We are the leading provider of testing for slip resistance, and for consultancy to support application, installation and remedial work.

We have expertise in a range of materials, including but not limited to:

Terrazzo
Limestone
Marble
Granite
Slate
Onyx
Porcelain
Ceramic
Natural stone
Timber
Resin finishes
PVC and other flexible materials
Glass

We are an experienced consultancy for the HSE approved Ramp Test. Testing can be carried out in situ, on site or in factory environment.

The slip resistance tests can be supported by sophisticated roughness analysis, and by expert consultation, including expert witness for legal cases.

See sample report we have produced for a client.

Marble Master offer a slip-test which will ascertain whether your floor lies within, or outside the recommended levels under both wet and dry conditions. If the floor is outside the BS standard for flooring we will return to rectify the situation as fast as possible.

We can also provide anti slip and slip testing measurements for solicitors acting for clients who have suffered a slip.

This page considers a number of test methods for assessing floor slip resistance and describes those used by HSE in more detail. It is intended for organisations which need to perform accurate measurements of floor slipperiness, such as manufacturers and research and testing bodies. It will also help employers and other dutyholders with assessing slip risks in workplaces by helping them to interpret flooring manufacturers’ test data.

This should allow them to make an informed decision in choosing new floors. In the light of this information, manufacturers and suppliers of flooring are recommended to review the floor slip resistance information they provide when producing flooring data sheets for customers.

Slips and trips consistently account for around 1 in 3 non-fatal major injuries, and for over 1 in 5 over-3-day injuries in workplace areas throughout Great Britain, a total of at least 35 000 injuries per annum (one serious slip accident every 3 minutes). Statistics suggest that most of these accidents are slips, most of which occur when floor surfaces are contaminated (water, talc, grease, etc). We have found through our consultancy work that a lot of floors receive extremely poor maintenance making them very dangerous.

Interpretation of manufacturers’ data

Most slip resistance information provided by flooring manufacturers is produced from as-supplied products (ie ex-factory). The slipperiness of flooring materials can change significantly due to the installation process (due to grouting, burnishing, polishing), after short periods of use, due to inappropriate maintenance or longer-term wear.

Furthermore, data quoted simply as CoF should be viewed with uncertainty, as the type of CoF test used can have a critical affect on the validity of the data. The test data needed to characterise a floor should relate to the floor as finished for the intended use and with any contamination present in normal use.

Call to schedule an appointment on 0845 299 7333 or 07958 503887