Dear All,

This message might interest anyone who is interested in the deterioration of 
slip resistance of smooth floor tiles with normal wear and tear. 

Carl Strautins (Director, Safe Environments Pty Ltd) has recently written two 
interesting articles on wear and the deterioration of slip resistance. Here is the 
gist.

When one selects ceramic tiles sustainable slip resistance is important 
(Strautins, 2008). For years we have been assured that even smooth ceramic 
floor tiles retained an adequate slip resistance for years. Architects and indoor 
designers have had to rely on this assumption for a long time. 

Most people have assumed that this is achievable. They had to; the Building 
Code of Australia states (in clauses D 2.10, D2.13 and D2.14) that the floor 
surfaces of pedestrian ramps, stair treads and landings should be slip resistant 
and non-skid and where disability access is required under section D3 of the 
BCA, all continuous accessible paths of travel must have slip resistant 
surfaces (Strautins, 2008).

Richard Bowman has pointed out (2008) accelerated wear test method that 
will be considered for future adoption for floor slip resistance testing because 
the test results obtained from factory fresh floor surfaces may be illusory.

This is because new evidence shows that smooth ceramic tiles become rapidly 
less slip resistant with use. Carl Strautins has now documented some cases 
where their slip resistance has been observed to fall from satisfactory to an 
unsafe level within just six weeks (Strautins, 2008/2009). [Please see the 
attached references.] For this reason chapter 3 of Australian Standards 
Handbook HB 197 recommends that tile selection should take into account 
both pedestrian traffic levels and wear resistance. 

The moral of this story: don't rely completely on tile suppliers for data on the 
slip resistance of floor tiles! Mechanical abrasion due to over zealous polishing 
can also cause a catastrophic deterioration of slip resistance in a similar 
length of time (ibid). 

Has anyone got any other good data on this topic they can share?

Regards,

David McFarlane MAppSc (Ergonomics)
Ergonomist, WorkCover NSW

Disclaimer

The views expressed above are those of the author and they do not 
necessarily reflect the views or policies of WorkCover NSW. Any 
recommendation concerning the use or representation of a particular brand of 
product in this document or any mention of them whatsoever (whether this 
appears in the text, illustrations, photographs or in any other form) is not to 
be taken to imply that WorkCover NSW approves or endorses the product or 
the brand.

References

1. Carl Strautins (2008), “Sustainable slip resistance - an opportunity for 
innovation”, Infolink Newsletter, 28/02/2008. See
 http://www.infolink.com.au/c/Global-Safe-Technologies-Australia/Sustainable-
slip-resistance-an-opportunity-for-innovation-n748692

2. Carl Strautins, (2008), "What your mother didn’t tell you about slip 
resistance", Tile Today, Issue 61, September - November 2008, page 32.

2. Richard Bowman, (2008), “Striving To Overcome Recurrent Challenges: 
Qualicer 1990 – 2008”, page 12. 
See http://www.publicliability.net.au/Documents/Ceramic%20Tile%
20Problems.pdf

3. Carl Strautins, (2008/2009), "What your mother didn’t tell you about slip 
resistance, Part 2", Tile Today, Issue 62, December 2008- February 2009, 
pages 31, 32 and 88.