Surface Roughness

Surface roughness, fiercely promoted by the HSE/HSL, continues to be a source of irritation within the slip industry and with many experts outside (some in) the UKSRG, questioning the relevance as it is 'not a test of slip resistance'. Unfortunately for many it has become the start and finish to meeting their 'duty of care' so surfaces are not being assessed properly when the HSE Slips Assessment Tool is being used, unfortunately many, including Councils, are failing in their duty of care by adopting these methods. 

The answer however is simple, withdraw the requirement for surface roughness, insist on testing with a slip meter. Unfortunately recent changes at the HSE with the introduction of FFI might have confused the real objective and with the regulator continuing to chair the UKSRG, a clear approach is not likely to happen easily, support for change is required, email for more information.

 September article CFJ  Arguments over Slip Resistance have become ridiculous 

There can be no quick fix solution to specifying a safe floor without measuring with a slip meter, so as we continue to read the warnings associated with roughness meters and now floor selector tool, we wonder if this approach is really helping, when the answer is there all the time with a slip meter!

We don't compare other testing devices, please email if you need advice, but don't be persuaded to use Tortus or Dragsled testers as in the words of the UK HSE 'we cannot accept this principle for a standard test method for assessing the slip resistance of floors in wet or similarly contaminated conditions' because 'they could lead to unsuitable floors being classified as acceptable' (see statement) but of course we are concerned with wet or otherwise contaminated surfaces!