Standards Defined Slip Resistance Terms
AS/NZS 4663:2002 for the purpose of the Standard defines the following terms;
4.1 Coefficient of friction (COF)
The ratio of the tangential force required to move a body across a horizontal surface to the vertical load imposed on the surface by the body.
4.2 Contaminant
Any substance, liquid, solid, or both, that is foreign to the floor surface.
NOTE: Any material that breaks away from the floor material itself is also to be regarded as foreign to the floor surface.
4.3 Dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF)
The ratio of along-the-surface force to normal-to-the-surface force needed to keep one object moving across another at a constant velocity.
4.4 Friction
An intrinsic property of the two interfacing, interacting surfaces resulting from their micro- and macro-roughness, inter- and intra-molecular forces of attraction and repulsion, and their visco-elastic properties.
4.5 Slip resistive
A pedestrian surface is slip resistive if the available friction is sufficient to enable a person to traverse that surface without an unreasonable risk of slipping.
AS/NZS 4586:2004 for the purpose of the Standard defines the following terms;
4.1 Coefficient of friction (COF)
The ratio of the tangential force required to move a body across a horizontal surface to the vertical load imposed on the surface by the body.
4.2 Displacement space
The open cavity that is accessible below the walking surface of a floor covering. It is designed to allow sub-surface drainage and entrapment of spillages, thereby helping to retain the anti-slip properties of the walking surface.
4.3 Dynamic coefficient of friction
The force required to maintain movement at a constant speed.
4.4 Friction
An intrinsic property of the two interfacing, interacting surfaces resulting from their micro- and macro-roughness, inter- and intra-molecular forces of attraction and repulsion, and their visco-elastic properties.
4.5 Industrial work area
An area from which the public is generally excluded, and in which there may be an increased risk of slipping on the floors due to a high incidence of substances such as grease, oil, water, foodstuffs, food residues, dust, flour or vegetable waste.
4.6 Slip resistance
Frictional force opposing movement of an object across a surface, usually with reference to the sole or heel of a shoe on a floor.
4.7 Slip resistive
A pedestrian surface is slip resistive if the available friction is sufficient to enable a person to traverse that surface without an unreasonable risk of slipping.
4.8 Wet/barefoot area
An area in which the floor coverings are generally wet and walked on by people in bare feet. Such areas include swimming pool surrounds and are typically found in recreational buildings used by the public, such as in communal showers, washrooms and changing rooms. Similar facilities are also in some industrial and commercial buildings.
