Slip risk analysis on the surface of floors in public utility buildings

Abstract

The aim of the research was to show that changes occur in floor surface parameters resulting from increased use in public utility buildings. The study included corridors and staircases that differ in terms of covering material in a public utility building in Poznań. Measurements were carried out with the use of the British Pendulum Test Value (PTV) in three stages. The first stage included a research methodology recreating the movement of people wearing footwear with rubber soles and people using assistive devices with rubber endings. It indicated that surface wear is the greatest at staircase edges and lift entrances, and the possibility of slipping is increased from ca. 17% do 41%, depending on surface type. The second stage consisted of research taking into account the interaction of various surfaces used for floors in homes, shops, and industrial premises, with a rubber sample representing the ending of assistive devices. It demonstrated that the least dangerous surface material among the tested ones in terms of slip risk is roofing with an SVR of 73 ± 8, and the most dangerous are laminated surfaces of wood-based materials with an SVR of 29 ± 12. The last stage consisted of recreating the movement of people in various footwear on the selected research surface. It demonstrated that a bare foot (corresponding to a measurement with a rubber solitaire 55 or footwear with a rubber sole - Slip Resistance Value (SVR) of 55 ± 5) is characterized by the lowest possibility of slipping, while footwear with a felt sole (SVR of 29 ± 3) used, e.g., when visiting historic palaces and castles is characterized by the highest slip risk. The conducted tests made it possible to identify locations in the public utility building with an increased risk of slipping. The total number of surfaces examined during the three stages was sixteen. The test results were then referenced to the criteria for assessing surface slip resistance specified in applicable standards. The conducted research may support the processes of designing assistive devices (e.g., orthopaedic crutches, walking sticks, tripods, etc.) for persons with disabilities moving in buildings, and may also constitute a criterion for the scope of safety and a determinant of planned renovation works.