The pendulum test determines the tile from safe to dangerous and tests through a weighted swinging arm and its resistance once in contact with the tile. It is measured in a ‘SRV’ rating, which stands for Slip Resistance Value. This rating is used by health and safety professionals.
The resistance level, or ‘R’ rating, is the classification used by professionals to advise on whether a tile should be applied in a typically wet environment (like a pool surround) or is best in other low risk areas (like a kitchen) and takes into consideration the highest angle in which it remains safe, by measuring on a ramp. Anti-slip floor treatment is required to improve the slip rating.
Also taken into consideration is the tiles safety when walked on barefoot. Rather than an ‘R’ rating this is measured alphabetically, with ‘A’ being the least resistant and ‘C’ the most. Again these are tested to the limits through a ramp measuring system.
Floor Surface Roughness (Rz) indicates the apparent slip resistance. The Surface Roughness Testing is conducted using a portable floor tester giving an average floor test surface roughness reading. Surface roughness testing is not a true floor slip reading, it is only an indication of floor friction. Two different floor surfaces having the same Floor Roughness Testing readings can have different a different Coefficient of Resistance and floor slipperiness. This is particularly noticeable where wet floors are involved as 90% of floor slips occur on smooth wet flooring such as marble floors.
Thus , pendulum floor test is important to avoid slips and trips.
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