Floor Care · Guide
Slip-and-fall claims are among the most common and expensive incidents in commercial buildings, and floors take the blame whether or not they are the real cause. Here is how slip resistance is actually measured, what the standards say, and the practical steps that make a floor safer.
Slip resistance is expressed as coefficient of friction, the ratio of the force needed to slide a surface to the weight pressing on it. Higher is grippier. There are two flavors: static COF (resistance to starting to move) and dynamic COF (resistance once moving). Modern hard-floor testing focuses on dynamic COF, because slips happen mid-stride. The current measurement is taken wet, since dry floors are rarely the problem.
| Standard | What it says |
|---|---|
| ANSI A326.3 | The recognized hard-flooring method; measures dynamic COF (DCOF). A common threshold is DCOF of at least 0.42 for level interior floors expected to be walked on wet. |
| OSHA (walking-working surfaces) | Requires surfaces kept clean, orderly, and dry, and free of hazards. It does not set a single required COF number. |
| ADA | Slip resistance is addressed in advisory guidance rather than a binding COF value; older references cited static COF around 0.6 for level surfaces and 0.8 for ramps as research-based recommendations. |
The practical takeaway: aim for a recognized wet DCOF, keep floors dry and clean, and treat the standards as a floor, not a finish line.
A properly selected, cured, and burnished finish is designed for underfoot traction, it is not the villain people assume. The overwhelming cause of slips is a wet floor: spills, mopping, tracked-in rain and snow. The second cause is the wrong product or a poorly maintained finish. In other words, slipperiness is usually a moisture and maintenance problem, not an inherent property of a shiny floor. High gloss is not the same as low traction.
Related: maintenance programs, floor finish types, concrete floor care, and floor finish problems.
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As coefficient of friction (COF). Modern hard-floor testing uses dynamic COF (DCOF) under the ANSI A326.3 method, measured wet.
The recognized method for measuring the dynamic coefficient of friction of hard flooring. A common threshold is a wet DCOF of at least 0.42 for level interior floors walked on wet.
No. OSHA requires walking-working surfaces to be kept clean, dry, orderly, and free of hazards, but it does not set a single required COF number.
The ADA addresses slip resistance through advisory guidance rather than a binding value; older references cited static COF around 0.6 for level surfaces and 0.8 for ramps as recommendations.
Not when done right. A correct, cured, burnished finish is built for traction. Slips are overwhelmingly caused by wet floors, not by a shiny finish.
Control moisture, add walk-off matting, choose a finish with the right traction for the space, maintain that finish, and keep floors dry during traffic.
When clean and dry it offers reasonable traction. Like any hard floor it is slippery wet, so prompt cleanup and matting matter.
A wet DCOF of at least 0.42 is a commonly referenced threshold for level interior floors under ANSI A326.3; wetter or higher-risk areas may call for more.
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