Coefficient of Friction Testing Vital for the Flooring Materials to Prevent Slip
Posted by Safety Direct America on September 19th, 2016
Slip and falls are quite common accidents. Floors specifically made up of granite, tiles, marbles are often slippery which may cause serious injuries if not properly tested. The coefficient of friction testing is a vital process for manufacturers of specific products to determine whether two surfaces of a product will be able to slide past one another when in contact. It is used for a variety of materials such as lubricants, films, household items and so on. In these tests, both the static and dynamic friction of many products is measured and a frictional value of materials is determined.
The results for coefficient of friction (COF)
Static coefficient friction (SCOF):- It is that force that holds back a stationary object up to the point that it just starts to move. In short, it is the force restricting the movement of an object that is fixed on a relatively smooth hard surface. This value is calculated by finding the initial peak force needed to move the sled and dividing the value by the weight of the sled.
Dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF):-In simplistic terms, it is the force holding back the regular motion. It restricts the movement of an object that is stationary on a relatively smooth surface. It is measured by finding out the average load during the test and dividing this by weight of the sled that holds the other material. This method determines the DCOF under wet conditions using slightly soapy water. The different values of COF signify the different levels of floor safety.
Value of coefficient of friction testing
The highly demanded coefficient of friction is between 0.25 to 0.3 (walking normally). Slippery surfaces or steep slopes have a low COF which is perceived as a potentially dangerous floor. The USA Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) currently recommends that the static COF should be at least 0.5 for walk away surfaces under both dry and wet conditions. As per the Americans Disability Act (ADA) suggests the dry static COF at 0.6 on any flat horizontal surfaces both wet and dry. Lastly, for any inclined or ramp areas, it is usually 0.8. Including the presence of contaminants, 0.6 COF should be the ideal as far as safety standards are concerned.
Different slip test instruments
Some of the different types of instruments used to test the coefficient of friction of flooring are listed below-
1. The British Pendulum
2. BOT-3000E
3. The Tortus Tribometers
4. ASTM C1028 and so on
One must always look for an agency which can provide you reliable coefficient of friction tests that are signed and stamped by a registered professional engineer. Once you get the slip coefficient rating of the prospective flooring material, you can decide to change the product or add anti-slip products so that slip safety can be ensured.
