Abstract:

In 1993, Australia and New Zealand published a multinational Joint Standard, AS/NZS 3661, Slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces, Part 1, Requirements. Unlike the few other national standards for pedestrian slip resistance, this Standard is not limited to a specific type of floor surface material, such as ceramic tiles. Although it does not cover a few specific surfaces, the intention was to provide a Standard that would enable users to compare between different types and classes of floor surface materials. While establishing such a Standard can be difficult, maintaining it can be much harder. Outlining some of the problems encountered might enable others to more efficiently convert slip and fall research to safety standards.