The right information at an early stage can prevent accidents and costly reactive actions.  With decades of combined experience in the field we are happy to offer expert impartial advice freely.  If your question isn't answered below contact us directly. 

Test Method Quick Comparison

Method	Condition	Rating	Pros	Cons
BS 7976-2 Pendulum	Shod/barefoot dry/wet	PTV (0-150)	Regulator preferred, portable, models end use, results used in UK courts.	​Requires expert operation, time consuming.
Other/various Pendulum	Various	PTV, SRV, PSV, BPN (0-150)	Portable, can correlate with BS 7976-2 in some situations.	​​Requires expert operation, can be time consuming, limited applicability to UK.
DIN 51130 Ramp	Shod oil	R9-R13	Produced directly from pedestrian movement, widely available.	Cannot be conducted in situ, test differs from typical end use conditions, classifications are vague.
DIN 51097 Ramp	Barefoot wet	A, B, C	Produced directly from pedestrian movement, models end use, widely available.	Cannot be conducted in situ, classifications are vague.
BS 8204 SlipAlert	Shod/barefoot dry/wet	CoDF	Quick, easy, inexpensive, models end use, ​can correlate with BS 7976-2 in some situations.	Not regulator preferred method, correlation with BS 7976-2 requires tightly controlled operation.
BS EN 1134 Surface Roughness	Test is dry, predicts wet shod slip resistance	Rz	Quick, easy, inexpensive, can correlate with BS 7976-2 in some situations.	Unreliable prediction of slip resistance.

Pendulum Tests

BS 7976-2 Pendulum

​Preferred method of the HSE, UKSRG and the method used in slip and fall personal injury cases.  Produces a PTV (Pendulum Test Value).  36PTV or above is considered safe, <36PTV is likely to require attention.

The test can be conducted in house or on site, relatively quickly and inexpensively, but relies on proper operation to produce valid results.  A trained/competent operator is essential.  

Can use hard rubber to model shod pedestrians or softer rubber to model barefoot traffic.  The test method is particularly useful as it both accurately models the slipping mechanics of a pedestrian and can be used on site with real end use contaminants.  On site slip resistance testing can be paired with a slip risk assessment to give meaning to test results.

We can provide this service in house or on site.

Other Pendulum methods (BS EN 13036, BS EN 14231, CEN TS 15676,  CEN TS 16165, ENV 12633, etc)

​The Pendulum can be used in a variety of ways to produce measurement of particular surfaces for particular aims.  Whilst our service is focussed primarily on pedestrian slip resistance for UK clientele, we are regularly commissioned to conduct alternative methods.

Given that there are so many industry specific standards we would recommend you contact us directly with any queries about a particular Pendulum test method.

Ramp Tests

DIN 51130 Ramp Test

​A German test method in wide use throughout Europe.  The method sees samples mounted on a platform which is steadily inclined until the person walking on it feels a lack of grip. 

The angle of 'slip' is classified between R9 (slippery) and R13 (anti-slip).

The method uses safety footwear and motor oil, an unusual combination to find in most end use environments, limiting its usefulness in the UK.  Values derived from DIN 51130 cannot be converted to PTV's.  Whilst R13 surfaces are generally safer, there is no guarantee that a high R value will produce a high PTV, or vice-versa.

Specifiers should be aware that the guidance stating which R value is appropriate for a given environment may not correlate with the legal requirement to provide a safe end use condition, leaving responsible parties vulnerable to legal action.

Ramp tests cannot be conducted in situ and so will present ex-factory slip resistance only.

DIN 51097 Ramp Test

​A similar German test method in wide use throughout Europe.  The method sees samples mounted on a platform which is steadily inclined until the person walking on it feels a lack of grip. 

The angle of 'slip' is classified as A (slippery), B, or C (not slippery).

The method uses bare feet and soapy water contamination, accurately replicating common wet leisure end use environments.  Values derived from DIN 51097 cannot be directly converted to PTV's, however there is generally a good correlation between DIN 51097 values and BS 7976-2 values using the softer #55/TRL/barefoot rubber.  It is likely that a C classification will mean a 36+PTV, "low risk of slip", classification from BS 7976-2.

​Specifiers should be aware that the guidance stating which R value is appropriate for a given environment may not correlate with the legal requirement to provide a safe end use condition, leaving responsible parties vulnerable to legal action.

Ramp tests cannot be conducted in situ and so will present ex-factory slip resistance only.  This is a critical weakness in wet leisure environments where slip resistance can change rapidly in-situ due to cleaning/contamination cycles.

Do-It-Yourself Tests

BS 8204 SlipAlert

​A quick, easy and cheap slip resistance test in common use by cleaning, flooring and anti-slip contractors to demonstrate the effects of their work.  Whilst providing a good comparative and visual indication of slip resistance, the method is not endorsed by the HSE or UKSRG, and is not used in personal injury cases.

Health and Safety Laboratory appraisal showed that the SlipAlert device could produce results that correlate with the BS 7976-2 Pendulum, provided that it was operated in a tightly controlled manner.  The device can use the same #96/4S and #55/TRL rubber material as the Pendulum to model shod and barefoot traffic.

The SlipAlert does not benefit from the same stringent verification process as the BS 7976 Pendulum, and measures slip resistance over a long distance, failing to identify discrete slippery surfaces and making assessment of small spaces troublesome.

Care should be taken when assessing results, which are often converted from SlipAlert values to PTV's, giving the impression that an HSE preferred BS 7976-2 Pendulum test has been conducted.

BS 1134 Rz Surface Roughness

​This should not be considered a slip test in its own right but a means of providing supplementary information about a floor surface.  The roughness of a floor surface is crucial in its ability to provide contaminated grip, however the Rz parameter does not provide sufficient information to accurately predict the safety of the surface.

The HSE suggest that an Rz value of 20 microns or greater is likely to indicate a safe surface in wet conditions.  As the viscosity of contaminant increases so does the requirement for Rz in order to provide the same safe surface.

We have recorded >1000 Rz values against PTV's on real world end use surfaces.  We found that the Rz value accurately predicts surface safety ~75% of the time.  Given the potential costs associated with unnecessary remedial action, or inaction where action is necessary, it is recommended that a more reliable and robust test method is employed than Rz measurement in isolation.