Floor slipperiness measurement under spillage condition

Abstract

To understand the risk of slipping accidents in the industry, it is imperative to measure the coefficient of friction (COF) between footwear and floor. In this study, COF values were measured for four types of floor with five surface conditions that represent dry conditions and four liquid spillage conditions. A portable skid-resistance tester was used to measure the COF with three footwear materials attached on the slider. The results show that the interaction between floor type, footwear material, and surface conditions was significant (p< 0.0001). Variation of COF value was found due to different footwear materials and floors involved during the interaction. The friction loss results also conclude that the COF became reduced significantly in all footwear-floor conditions (in the range of 17% to 78%) in the presence of spillage on the floor.