There are now Changes to the Building Codes in Tasmania for Slip Resistance Testing

The changes to building codes now includes the provision slip resistance testing requirements, so there will be further need for slip resistance testing services throughout the state of Tasmania. In many cases this will require onsite testing to confirm compliance with the building codes. An alternative solution is to send samples of the flooring material to our Sydney and Melbourne laboratories in which a NATA endorsed certificate of the slip rating can be used to prove evidence of suitability.

What are the Slip Rating and Testing Requirements for Buildings in Tasmania

The slip testing requirements for building constructed in Hobart, Burnie, Devonport Launceston and other parts of Tasmania include stair nosings to provide a P4 or R11 slip rating  for stairs that would normally be considered wet. For stairs that are considered to be in a dry environment, then the corresponding slip rating would be P3 or R10.  Floor surfaces that are considered to be wet for the purposes of slip resistance testing include all external floor surfaces and those surface that may be anticipated to become wet, such as stairs within entry foyers and the like. Ramps will also require certain slip resistance ratings as well.

Who can undertake slip resistance testing services in Tasmania

Safe Environments Slip Check is one of only two companies at present who are NATA Accredited to undertake slip testing to the oil wet ramp test method of AS 4586-2013 Appendix D, Slip resistance classification of new pedestrian surface materials. We are also accredited by NATA to undertake wet pendulum and the dry floor friction test methods. At the time of posting this blog, there are no accredited slip resistance testing companies who are based in Tasmania to service Hobart, Burnie, Devonport or Launceston.  However Slip Check can undertake regular services to undertake slip resistance testing throughout Tasmania.

When designing and specifying the next building in Tasmania to the new National Construction Codes (NCC), you will need to consider the slip resistance of the finish. This is best to be done when selecting flooring materials as you normally would for any other building element that requires to comply with prescriptive provisions of the Building Code of Australia (BCA).

Slip Resistance Test Ratings can be supplied by Ceramic Tiling Merchants and the like.

Many floor merchants will already have the slip resistance ratings provided to make selection easy. If they do not, then the floor merchants such as ceramic tiling, stone, vinyl, resilient and terrazzo and the like will be able to send the floor materials to a laboratory to be tested. They can then use this test certificate to provide evidence of suitability that the floor surface complies with the NCC / BCA slip resistance testing requirements.

More information for Slip Testing in Tasmania

For more information on slip resistance testing in Launceston, Burnie, Hobart Devonport and other parts of Tasmania, please contact the Safe Environments Slip Check Team. We can assist with regular independent slip resistance testing services and provide advice on the slip ratings required for your commercial building.