The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that floors accessible to disabled persons be “slip-resistant”, but did not define what that means. Recently, theADA decided to spread badly-informed misinformation that mentions safety criterion from test methods that were withdrawn 10 years ago (ASTM C1028) and twenty years ago (ASTM F1677 and ASTM F1679). So apparently … Continue reading “ADA Slip Resistance Requirements”
Author: John
Can a Floor be Too Slip Resistant?
As floor slip resistance testing experts with decades of experience, we’re sometimes asked if a floor can be too slip resistant, usually by someone who is trying to sell a flooring that is likely too slippery for a particular application. The answer, put simply, is no. There is no such thing as a floor that’s … Continue reading “Can a Floor be Too Slip Resistant?”
Cleaning Anti-Slip Floors
After installing a tile or other type of flooring that has great slip resistance, or after applying an anti-slip floor coating with great slip resistance on top of a slippery floor (like SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating), you’ll find that dragging a dirty mop across the floor may no longer be sufficient to get the floor … Continue reading “Cleaning Anti-Slip Floors”
Slippery Epoxy Garage Floors – SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating to the Rescue
Our transparent abrasive anti-slip floor coating, SparkleTuff™, has been applied to hundreds of different kinds of floors, and we have yet to find a surface to which it won’t adhere. However, based on the number of frantic phone calls we get, home garage floors that have been newly coated with epoxy (or polyurea or polyaspartic … Continue reading “Slippery Epoxy Garage Floors – SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating to the Rescue”
ASTM F2508 and the pendulum slip resistance tester
ASTM F2508 is based on a rigorous scientific study of 11 tribometers (or floor slip resistance test devices) that was held at the University of Southern California Medical Center. The peer-reviewed results were published in 2010 in the Journal of Forensic Sciences. Four tiles were tested with the 11 slip test devices, and later a … Continue reading “ASTM F2508 and the pendulum slip resistance tester”
DCOF Rating for Floors
The latest American slip test for floors is the DCOF rating test method specified in ANSI A326.3. Although this test is a much better test than the now-withdrawn ASTM C1028 that was previously included in the International Building Code, the new test method comes with a great deal of “disclaimers”, including the warning that a … Continue reading “DCOF Rating for Floors”
Pendulum: The Most Widely Used Slip Resistance Test Worldwide
The pendulum skid tester, known in the U.S. as the “British pendulum” although it was invented at the U.S. National Bureau of Standards, is the most widely used floor slip resistance tester worldwide for measuring the slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces (DCOF rating). It is a national floor slip test standard in at least 50 … Continue reading “Pendulum: The Most Widely Used Slip Resistance Test Worldwide”
Introducing SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating
For over a decade, we have been on the search for a totally non-slip and very glossy floor coating that could help people who have had the misfortune of installing slippery tiles, or those who have slippery tubs or showers. We’ve seen several attempts over the years in our floor slip resistance testing business, but … Continue reading “Introducing SparkleTuff™ Anti-Slip Floor Coating”
Article published in The Construction Specifier magazine talks slip resistance
John C. Sotter and George Sotter of Safety Direct America were published in the July issue of The Construction Specifier magazine with an article talking about floor slip resistance and keeping floors safe for pedestrians. The article talks about the latest International Building Code (IBC) requirements for slip resistance, and its limitations as far as … Continue reading “Article published in The Construction Specifier magazine talks slip resistance”
Slippery Tub Solution
Do you have a slippery tub or shower? Chances are you do! Historically, outdated and unreliable slip resistance test methods were used to determine the slipperiness of tubs in the United States, leading to virtually every tub sold being treacherous to use while wet. Slips and falls in tubs and showers often lead to horrible … Continue reading “Slippery Tub Solution”