Slip check, a division of Safe Environments are experts in the field of slip testing and other material properties of flooring materials. Slip Check employ materials scientists, forensic scientists, occupational health and safety consultants, occupational hygienists and architects. There is no other floor slip testing company in Australia with our diverse range of expertise. Slip testing methods which we undertake include:
Safe Environments are accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) to measure slip resistance using the wet pendulum, dry floor friction and oil wet ramp slip testing standards. Our slip testing certificates can be used as evidence in building construction to satisfy the provisions of the Building Code of Australia.
The range of tests to measure the slip resistance of floors and the associated risk of slipping has changed significantly over the years. The first slip testing methods in the Australian Standards used the wet pendulum friction tester and the dry Floor Friction Tester (FFT). The wet pendulum friction tester was is used to measure the Coefficient of Friction (CoF) in wet conditions and the FFT was used only to measure the Coefficient of Friction in dry conditions. In many other countries the dry FFT had been used in wet conditions, however studies have shown that there is poor correlation for assessing the likelihood of a slip in wet conditions.
The use of these devices primarily arise through the adoption of UK Standards when Australia first started to develop slip testing standards. Now Australia utilises the British test methods as well as the laboratory based inclining ramp testing methods which were developed in Germany for industrial and workplace settings.
Previously it was common to see experts using a person’s shoe that they have slipped on and filling it with a lead weight or small sand bag and testing the surface by dragging it across the floor surface. A scale would then be used to measure the force being applied, in which if the weight of the weighted shoe was known, a Coefficient of Friction could be derived. This has been shown to be flawed with a number of errors in the measurement that does not hold true in reality for the measurement of wet slip testing.
While the measurement of slip testing has not changed significantly over the past 20 years, the interpretation of the measurements are constantly evolving. Traditionally a threshold value has been used which a value of 0.4 was used to determine if a surface was “safe” or not. In some instances the slip testing value of 0.5 has also been used in the United States of America (USA).
While slip testing of floors is an important aspect to safety, Safe Environments undertake other tests in line with Australian, New Zealand, American and International standards. The suite of floor testing that we regularly conduct include:
- Taber abrasion floor testing;
- Stain resistance of floors
- Accelerated wear slip testing
- Water absorption & breaking strength of floor tiles
- Asbestos testing of vinyl floor tiles
- Luminance contrast testing of floors and tactile ground surface indicators.
For more information on slip testing and other materials testing of floor surfaces, please contact us in our offices based in Sydney & Melbourne.
Be absolutely assured. Safe Environments is NATA accredited for Noise testing
Ensure a Safe Environment
For more information on noise testing or management please contact one of Safe Environments Occupational Hygienists or Noise Consultants located in the following Australian cities:
Melbourne & Victoria
Unit 25, 1 Millers Rd Brooklyn VIC 3012 Australia
03 9604 0700NSW - Sydney, Newcastle & Wollongong
Unit 4, 40 Bessemer Street, Blacktown NSW 2148
