Provisions
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Other Slip and Fall Related Standards
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Americans with Disabilities Act (U.S. Department of Justice)
A4.5 Ground and Floor Surfaces.
A4.5.1 General. People who have difficulty walking or maintaining balance or who use crutches, canes, or walkers, and those with restricted gaits are particularly sensitive to slipping and tripping hazards. For such people, a stable and regular surface is necessary for safe walking, particularly on stairs. Wheelchairs can be propelled most easily on surfaces that are hard, stable, and regular. Soft loose surfaces such as shag carpet, loose sand or gravel, wet clay, and irregular surfaces such as cobblestones can significantly impede wheelchair movement.
Slip resistance is based on the frictional force necessary to keep a shoe heel or crutch tip from slipping on a walking surface under conditions likely to be found on the surface. While the dynamic coefficient of friction during walking varies in a complex and non-uniform way, the static coefficient of friction, which can be measured in several ways, provides a close approximation of the slip resistance of a surface. Contrary to popular belief, some slippage is necessary to walking, especially for persons with restricted gaits; a truly "non-slip" surface could not be negotiated.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends that walking surfaces have a static coefficient of friction of 0.5. A research project sponsored by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) conducted tests with persons with disabilities and concluded that a higher coefficient of friction was needed by such persons. A static coefficient of friction of 0.6 is recommended for accessible routes and 0.8 for ramps.
It is recognized that the coefficient of friction varies considerably due to the presence of contaminants, water, floor finishes, and other factors not under the control of the designer or builder and not subject to design and construction guidelines and that compliance would be difficult to measure on the building site. Nevertheless, many common building materials suitable for flooring are now labeled with information on the static coefficient of friction. While it may not be possible to compare one product directly with another, or to guarantee a constant measure, builders and designers are encouraged to specify materials with appropriate values. As more products include information on slip resistance, improved uniformity in measurement and specification is likely. The Access Board's advisory guidelines on Slip Resistant Surfaces provides additional information on this subject.
OSHA (back to top)
OSHA has several references to slip resistance. The most recent of which is 1926 on Steel Erection. Others are 1910.68 on Manlifts, and 1910
1926 Subpart R - Steel Erection
(3) Slip resistance of skeletal structural steel. Workers shall not be permitted to walk the top surface of any structural steel member installed after [INSERT DATE: 5 years after effective date of final rule] that has been coated with paint or similar material unless documentation or certification that the coating has achieved a minimum average slip resistance of .50 when measured with an English XL tribometer or equivalent tester on a wetted surface at a testing laboratory is provided. Such documentation or certification shall be based on the appropriate ASTM standard test method conducted by a laboratory capable of performing the test. The results shall be available at the site and to the steel erector. (Appendix B to this subpart references appropriate ASTM standard test methods that may be used to comply with this paragraph (c)(3)).
Appendix B to Subpart R -- Acceptable Test Methods for Testing Slip-resistance of Walking/working Surfaces (§1926.754(c)(3)). Non-mandatory Guidelines for Complying with §1926.754(c)(3).
The following references provide acceptable test methods for complying with the requirements of §1926.754(c)(3).
Standard Test Method for Using a Portable Inclineable Articulated Strut Slip Tester (PIAST)(ASTM F1677-96)
Standard Test Method for Using a Variable Incidence Tribometer (VIT)(ASTM F1679-96)
1910.68 Subpart F - Powered Platforms, Manlifts, and Vehicle-Mounted Work Platforms
(c)(3)(v)
"Surfaces." The upper or working surfaces of the step shall be of a material having inherent nonslip characteristics (coefficient of friction not less than 0.5) or shall be covered completely by a nonslip tread securely fastened to it.
1910 "Walking and Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment; Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
This proposed rule issued by OSHA included a non-mandatory appendix specifying a minimum slip resistance of 0.5 as reasonable slip resistance performance. Although they are still on the books, none of the proposed revisions to subart D has been promulgated at this time.
ANSI A1264.2 (back to top)
The A1264.2 sub-committee began writing a standard with the intent of reducing falls due to slippery conditions which in are some way preventable in the workplace. The three basic areas of the standard are:
Provisions
for reducing hazards
Test
equipment
Slip
resistance criteria
The first area constitutes the largest part of the standard and addresses: Footwear applications and considerations, Mats & Runners, Housekeeping, Warnings, Symbols, Controlled Access, Selection and/or treatment. The test equipment portion essentially refers to ASTM standards and test methods.
For more information on this pending standard, see the Online Newsletters.
NFPA 1901 ( back to top)
The National Fire Protection Association standard 1901 entitled Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus has a specification in seciton 13-7.3 for slip resistance. It states that all external surfaces used for walking and standing shall have a slip resistance of at least 0.68 when wet as tested by the English XL VIT (per ASTM F1679 Standard Test Method for Using a Variable Incidence Tribometer), or at least 0.52 when wet as tested by the Brungraber Mark II PIAST (per ASTM F1677 Standard Test Method for Using a Portable Inclinable Articulated Strut Slip Test). Internal walking and standing surfaces must have a slip resistance of at least 0.58 per the English XL VIT or 0.47 per the Brungraber Mark II PIAST.
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