Fully Trained BS7976 Slip Testers
Our staff are trained to carry out floor/surface slip resistance tests in accordance with BS 7976-2 and UKSRG guidelines (issue 5, 2011). This is the preferred method of assessment for floor slip potential recommended by the Health and Safety Executive. It is also the only method currently accepted by courts in civil slip injury claims.
This method of testing involves swinging a prepared rubber ‘foot’ on a mechanical pendulum across a surface. This simulated the action of a shod foot slipping on a slippery surface. The ‘foot’ then slides back and forth over the test surface at a set speed and angle of inclination, similar to the way a barefoot person would walk, until it reaches an acceptance point (at which the floor covering is considered to be sufficiently slip resistant) and a ‘Pendulum Slip Value’ is recorded. This data is then interpreted to give a relative result and gives a good indication of the slip resistance of both dry and water contaminated surfaces.
Several different sliders fully trained bs7976 slip testers can be used to replicate the actions of various types of footwear and so a variety of conditions can be tested, such as how a slick shoe or a barefoot heel might affect the slip performance of a floor. The pendulum test is a robust and accurate method for assessing floor slip risk, which can be used in a wide range of environments, from swimming pool changing rooms to restaurant kitchens.
We have been carrying out bs7976 slip testing for many years and have extensive experience of using this method to assess the slip resistance of most floor coverings including timber, carpet, vinyl, concrete, natural stone and tiles. We have also developed our own bespoke software system to facilitate the interpretation of results. This means that our clients are able to get the most useful information from the test and we can also help with any queries they might have about their results or how the equipment works.
There are many other types of slip test equipment on the market, but we believe that none of them offer as true a measure of a floor’s actual slip risk as our new BS8204 approved machine called SlipAlert. This is designed to be quicker and easier to use than the older Pendulum test and produces far more reliable measures of a floor’s slip risk, even in wet or water contaminated conditions.
Our technicians are all certified to operate the BS 7976 – 2 Pendulum CoF test as defined by the Health & Safety Executive and UKSRG guidelines Issue 5. We have also invested in our own bespoke equipment and our machines are calibrated regularly. We follow a strict verification process, which includes measuring three control surfaces with known slip resistance values and checking that the machine is performing correctly immediately before each material test. Only when the machine consistently produces acceptable values does it go ahead with the test.
We are also qualified to carry out on-site floor surveys and inspections of cleaning and maintenance routines, risk assessments, accident reports and any other information that might be relevant to a slip claim case. We will then conclude the survey with an impartial CPR compliant report that can be used by both parties in a legal case.