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In any workplace, safe movement across floor surfaces is a fundamental requirement – for employees and members of the public alike. Slip resistance can be compromised whenever slippery substances such as water, oil, or dust are present on the floor, and addressing this is essential to maintaining a safe working environment. Fortunately, there are several measures you can take to optimise slip resistance. Our guide explains the slip resistance ratings available and how to improve your floors’ slip resistance – even after installation.
Work areas with compromised slip resistance
Slip resistance is most compromised in workrooms and work areas where water, oil, or fats are present. However, everyday substances such as foodstuffs, food residues, dust, flour, or plant waste can also act as slippery contaminants when they end up on the floor. The good news is that there are several ways to address this. When planning a new build, for example, you can select tiles with the appropriate slip rating for the intended use. If your floors are already in place, slip resistance can still be improved retrospectively through products such as anti-slip mats.
What are the different slip resistance ratings?
The various slip resistance ratings evaluate the risk of slipping on different surfaces and floor types. These categories, known as R-ratings, are determined through ramp testing in accordance with BS EN 16165:2021, the current British and European standard for slip resistance of floors. Each rating is determined by testing the slope angle at which a given floor surface must remain slip-resistant.
The following criteria were used to determine these slope angles – each of which can affect the slip resistance of a floor surface:
- The frequency with which a slippery substance occurs and is distributed
- The type and characteristics of the slippery substance (water, oil, grease, dust, etc.)
- The average degree of floor contamination caused by this substance
- Other structural, organisational and procedural conditions
Floors are then assigned their corresponding slip resistance rating based on these angles. As the rating number increases, so too does the assumed angle of inclination, and subsequently, the required coefficient of static friction. The higher the slip resistance class, the greater the demands on your workplace safety measures.
Please note: In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends the Pendulum Test as the preferred method for assessing slip resistance on site. This produces a Pendulum Test Value (PTV). A PTV of 36 or above is recommended for wet conditions. R-ratings remain a widely used and useful reference when selecting floor coverings but should be considered alongside PTV values when assessing real-world slip risk.
| Slip resistance class | Inclination angle | Coefficient of friction | Range of application |
|---|---|---|---|
| R9 | 6°-10° | Lowest coefficient of friction | This slip resistance class offers only low slip resistance and is therefore suitable for smooth indoor floors where liquid accumulation is extremely unlikely, such as offices. |
| R10 | > 10°-19 | Normal coefficient of friction | With a medium coefficient of friction, this slip resistance class is used in private bathrooms and on terraces, in public toilets and washrooms, for accessible entrances indoors and outdoors, in communal showers, in machine rooms for woodworking, and in vehicle parking areas. |
| R11 | > 19°-27° | Increased coefficient of friction | The increased coefficient of friction applies to floors in food production, catering areas, laboratories, and public swimming pools, as well as all working environments with water and mud. |
| R12 | > 27°-35° | High coefficient of friction | The slip resistance of this class is suitable for rooms where fatty foodstuffs such as dairy products, meat products, and oils are produced. Floor coverings in kitchens where more than 100 place settings are served daily are also rated with this slip resistance class. |
| R13 | > 35 | Very high coefficient of friction | This slip resistance class has the highest static friction value and offers great slip resistance – even under demanding conditions such as in slaughterhouses and production rooms where large quantities of fats and oils are present. |
Please note: The slip resistance ratings indicate the minimum requirements in each case. Even when the prescribed floor coverings are used, a residual risk of slipping can never be entirely ruled out.
Additional designations in slip resistance classes
Slip resistance ratings can be supplemented with additional designations that define the slip resistance in greater detail. For example, the letters A, B and C refer to evaluation categories that apply to floors in barefoot areas:
- A: low slip resistance requirements – for dry or only occasionally damp floors.
- B: moderate slip resistance requirements – for wet floors
- C: high requirements for slip resistance – for permanently wet or submerged floors, e.g. walk-through pools or stairs leading into the water in swimming pools.
The designation “R10 B”, for example, would indicate the slip rating for tiles in showers or near the poolside of a swimming pool or sauna.
In environments where heavy contamination with oils or animal fats is likely, the floor’s displacement volume must also be specified alongside its slip resistance rating. This measures how effectively the floor’s surface texture can channel away liquids and contaminants. Floors with sufficient capacity are designated V4, V6, V8, or V10, with the number indicating the displacement volume in cm³/dm².
How to achieve the necessary slip resistance for your workplace
Good slip resistance starts with the right floor covering – one that meets the required slip resistance rating – but is also suited to the other requirements in your work area. When choosing anti-slip flooring, you must consider its mechanical strength under heavy loads and whether it is suitable for use with stacker trucks or pallet trucks. In some work areas, the floors must also be weather-resistant or resistant to acids and alkalis.
Depending on the requirements, a variety of anti-slip floor coverings can be used. These range from finely textured to rough or profiled floor coverings. As a general rule,the higher the slip resistance rating, the rougher the surface needs to be.
The following floor coverings are suitable examples:
- Ceramic tiles
- Natural stone and concrete slabs
- Timber planks or parquet
- Screeds with mineral components
- Synthetic resin coatings and synthetic resin paints
- Plastic or metal gratings
- Glass panels
- Resilient floor coverings (anti-fatigue mats)
- Anti-slip floor mats
Special requirements also apply where areas with different slip resistance ratings adjoin one another. The spaces should feature a consistent floor covering with the higher slip resistance rating. If floor coverings with different slip resistance ratings are used, they must fall within two neighbouring slip resistance classifications– for example R9 and R10, or R12 and R13. The same applies to corridors and staircases that border wet or damp areas.
Improving slip resistance retrospectively
If the floors in your workplace have already been installed, you can still improve their slip resistance retrospectively. There are several ways to do this, though please note that these can only achieve a maximum improvement of one slip resistance rating. If that is insufficient for your workplace requirements, a complete floor replacement will be necessary.
The following methods can be applied to retrospectively improve slip resistance:
- Coatings and adhesive coverings
1. Floor marking paint can improve the slip resistance of large floor areas and clearly identify work areas where there is a significant slip hazard.
2. Specialist anti-fatigue mats provide improved slip resistance and shock absorption, supporting joint-friendly working conditions in certain areas.
3. Anti-slip coverings in the form of stair nosing profiles or slip-resistant plates for entrances and ramps may help remediate walkways or staircases and can be permanently fixed to the floor using screws or adhesive. - Chemical treatments
Chemical agents react with minerals in the floor, dissolving them and roughening the surface of the floor covering. They can be applied to stone and tiled floors to achieve a slip resistance rating of R9.
Caution: do not use re-greasing or film-forming cleaning products on treated floors, as these can impair the anti-slip properties of the surface. - Mechanical treatments
Your floors can be mechanically treated to achieve greater slip resistance through:
1. Flaming and bush-hammering of natural stone floors (excluding ceramic tiles)
2. Roughening the surface texture by sandblasting (suitable for ceramic tiles where appropriate)
3. Fine or structured blasting with stainless steel abrasives for slip-resistant, uniformly refined surfaces - Laser treatment
To increase the slip resistance rating of tiles whilst preserving their gloss and colour intensity, a laser process creates microscopically small pores on the floor surface that act like suction cups when wet. Various degrees of slip resistance can be achieved using this method, depending on the laser settings.
Further standards for floor coverings
Slip resistance ratings are not the only consideration when it comes to floor safety in the UK. Further legislation and standards must also be observed.
Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, floors must be suitable for their intended purpose, kept in good condition, and free from obstructions. Where floors are likely to become contaminated, employees must still be able to walk on them without risk of slipping.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 additionally require employers to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments – including for slip and trip hazards – and to take appropriate action where risks are identified. Further practical guidance is available from the HSE and the UK Slip Resistance Group (UKSRG).
Fire safety requirements are governed by BS EN 13501-1 and must also be taken into account when selecting floor coverings.
When selecting floor coverings for installation in work areas and workrooms, they should also be assessed against further specific requirements depending on the intended location:
- Suitability for vehicle traffic
- Chemical resistance
- ESD protection or antistatic properties
- Suitability for indoor or outdoor use
- Anti-fatigue or ergonomic properties
- Drainage and ventilation
- Cold resistance and other insulating functions
- DEHP-free (plasticiser-free)
- Oil resistance
Other practical considerations include whether the floor covering can be washed, cut to size, or purchased by the metre.
FAQ for slip resistance
Slip resistance ratings, also known as R-ratings, classify floor coverings according to their degree of slip resistance. Classification is based on ramp testing carried out in accordance with BS EN 16165:2021, the current British and European standard for determining the slip resistance of floors.
This system is used in public buildings and workplaces, as well as private homes and other settings, to ensure the safety of all those who use the floors. Depending on the intended use and application area of the floor covering, certain slip resistance ratings are recommended or even required by law. In the UK, the HSE also recommends the Pendulum Test for on-site assessment of floor slip resistance, with a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of 36 or above advised for wet conditions.
Slip resistance ratings range from R9 to R13, with R9 representing the lowest and R13 the highest degree of slip resistance. They can apply to the following areas:
• R9: low slip resistance, e.g. indoor areas without liquid accumulation such as living rooms or offices
• R10: moderate slip resistance, e.g. private bathrooms, public toilets, step-free entrances
• R11: elevated slip resistance, e.g. commercial kitchen areas, laboratories, swimming pools
• R12: high slip resistance, e.g. industrial facilities, large-scale kitchens
• R13: very high slip resistance, e.g. abattoirs, breweries
Additional suffixes in the form of the letters A, B, or C may also apply:
• A: low requirements for slip resistance – for dry or only occasionally damp floors
• B: moderate requirements for slip resistance – for wet floors
• C: high requirements for slip resistance – for permanently wet or submerged floors
Yes. There are many ways to improve the slip resistance of floor coverings after installation – for example through additional surface treatments or the use of anti-slip mats. It should be noted, however, that slip resistance can only be improved retrospectively by one slip resistance rating. If that is insufficient for the requirements of your workplace, a complete replacement of the floor covering will be necessary.
Please note: The regulations mentioned here are only a selection of the most important legal requirements. For detailed information, please refer to the collections of regulations and legal texts listed and, where applicable, other reliable sources on the topic. When in doubt, consult experts on the specific implementation in your company.
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