Anti-Slip Surface Testing

Article Overview

The article highlights Dura Composites’ innovative d² product range, specifically engineered for optimal anti-slip performance. The importance of mitigating slip and trip risks, especially in workplaces, is emphasised, as they account for a significant portion of injuries and associated costs. The Pendulum Test is explained as a reliable method for assessing slip resistance, aligned with British Standards. Factors to consider when selecting flooring materials are outlined, including usage, contamination risks, durability, and sustainability.

Introduction
Mitigating the Risk of Slips
Pendulum Test & PTV Values
Making an Informed Decision

Tested to over a million footfalls.

We are continually evolving our innovative product range to ensure that our customers experience unrivalled performance from their composite materials, but with our d² product range, we’ve really hit on something special. We re-engineered our Dura Platform, Dura Grating, Dura Slab Trench Cover, Stair Treads and Dura Tread products to deliver our best ever anti-slip surface. The high specification composition which is unique to Dura Composites has been rigorously tested (in accordance with BS 7976-2:2002+A1:2013) and achieves the ultra-low slip potential in both wet and dry conditions that you’ve come to expect from us.

However, this time we also went above and beyond the standard testing procedure used by others. We invested further to ensure that our test conditions simulated the effects of more than 3 months’ worth of pendulum testing, to accurately assess the long-term performance and durability of Dura Composites’ products.

None of our competitors have had the confidence to submit their products for such rigorous anti-slip testing. As a result of our investment, our customers now have the knowledge that the low slip potential of the Dura Composites anti-slip surface is proven to reduce by a mere 5% after an incredible 1.1 million footfalls, making it the only serious contender for heavy-duty flooring in today’s demanding marketplace.

Why is mitigating the risk of slips and trips so important?

Every year around 10,000 people suffer a major slip or trip injury whilst at work. On average 90% of these result in broken bones, and in fact, slips and trips account for a third of all major injuries. Aside from the incalculable cost to the individual from effects such as lost income, pain suffered and reduced quality of life, the Health and Safety Executive reports that slips, trips and falls cost employers over £500m per year.

By selecting the right floor at the initial design stage or during refurbishment, it is however possible to minimise the risk of slips. Poor choices can be costly, can increase the risk of accidents and make changes difficult to manage later. Once you have narrowed your choices based on the criteria to the right, the crucial way to lessen the risk of injury and resulting legal action is to ensure that your chosen flooring has undergone stringent slip testing in accordance with British Standards.

The most widely accepted method of measuring slip (and which Dura Composites has invested heavily in testing across its Dura Platform, Dura Grating, Dura Slab and Dura Tread GRP flooring ranges) is the Pendulum Test.

When choosing a flooring material for your project, you will need to consider:

• Where the floor will be fitted
• The type of work taking place on it
• The amount of pedestrian usage
• The type and amount of contamination or spillages likely to end up on it
• Your available budget
• How durable the flooring needs to be in conjunction with the lifecycle of the building or project
• The environmental sustainability of the material
• What your load-bearing requirements are

Making an informed decision: What data to ask for

If you’re responsible for the safety of others in your buildings and premises, then your risk assessment should consider all the factors which contribute to the potential for slip accidents, so you can make an informed decision about the best flooring material for your specific needs.

HSE data shows that over 90% of slips occur when the floor is wet with water or contaminated with food product, so don’t be swayed by suppliers who choose only to present customers with their “dry” results. Your flooring supplier should be able to provide documented evidence of its slip resistance testing, in all travelling directions and in both wet and dry conditions. As well as our extensive slip resistance testing, our live load testing data is available within our searchable Online Product Selector database to help you make decisions based on real data to ensure maximum safety for your project.

• A PTV of 20 indicates a 1 in 2 probability of a slip
• A PTV of 24 indicates a 1 in 20 probability of a slip
• A PTV of 27 indicates a 1 in 200 probability of a slip
• A PTV of 36 indicates a 1 in 1 million probability of a slip

As an example of just how well our surface performs, under recent testing, Dura Composites new d² Dura Grating achieved an incredible score of 62 in the wet, (against the low slip threshold of just 36), making it ideal for almost all flooring conditions. If you’d like help and support with your flooring project, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.