Pendulum test for slippery floors

The Pendulum Test is the preferred method of the HSA and both the HSE and the UKSRG (UK Slip Resistance Group) in the UK and is designed to simulate the action of a slipping foot. It can be used both on site and in the laboratory. Standards that use the pendulum slip test include BS 7976 (used for pedestrian surfaces), EN 1341 (for external paving) and EN 14231 (natural stone modular tiles).

The slip resistance tests can be supported by sophisticated roughness and surface profile analysis, and by expert consultation, including expert witness for legal cases. There is a duty of care upon flooring designers, manufacturers, distributors, installers, contractors, and on the architects who specify flooring products, to ensure that flooring surfaces are 'fit for purpose' and do not pose a safety risk. One of the key components of safety is defining how slippery the floor is; this is known as its 'slip resistance'. In fact, The Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 stipulate that floors must not be slippery so that they put people's safety at risk.

This is how the Pendulum test on slippery floors works ...

It is this pendulum test that holds up in a court of law - if your floor has been tested using any other method then the results will not stand up in court.

Science Friction is a leading provider of testing for slip resistance, offering both the Pendulum Test and the Tortus Test. Science Friction offers a full on-site consultancy service regarding skid and slip issues. Testing of floors and surfaces in situ can identify a significant number of factors that can influence the skid slip performance of flooring materials. For example, cleaning regimes, maintenance, integrity of substrate, wearing or weathering of the flooring surface, presence of any sealants on the surface of the floor and trafficking pattern can all affect significantly the performance of flooring materials.

We have expertise in a range of materials, including:

• Ceramic
• Porcelain
• Granite
• Slate
• Marble
• Natural stone
• Clay pavers
• Concrete paving blocks and flags
• Cement
• Timber
• Resin finishes
• PVC and other flexible materials
• Glass
• Metal
• Plastic.

and can measure for slip resistance both in our laboratory and on site. Contact Science Friction now to have your floor tested.