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Method & accreditation

Two readings, one clear answer

Grip cannot be judged by eye, so we take it two complementary ways — and we are accredited for both.

How we measure: the pendulum

Grip is measured first with the pendulum. A weighted arm passes a rubber slider over the floor, recreating the instant a heel slides, and the resistance is set down as a Pendulum Test Value. We take readings wet and dry, in three directions; 36 or more lies within the low-risk band, which the HSE treats as the line to clear.

The second reading: texture

We assess the surface texture as well. Where floors meet water or grease, the fine roughness — gauged in microns — gives moisture a route away, so the surface keeps its grip. It complements the pendulum rather than replacing it, and over time it reveals a floor wearing smooth before it becomes a hazard.

The standards

• BS 7976-2 — the operation of the pendulum tester.
• BS EN 16165 — the current standard for measuring surface slip resistance (it superseded BS EN 13036-4).
• UKSRG guidelines — how the results are interpreted (we are a member).

Whoever is responsible for a building holds the duty — employers, facilities managers, and in care settings the Care Inspectorate, which expects slip risk to be assessed and managed across Scotland.

Laboratory product testing

Beyond site work, our environmentally controlled laboratory (to ISO 291) assesses more than 300 flooring products a year — tile, stone, resin, vinyl and decking — and can issue slip-resistance certification or support product development.

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