UKAS LAB 7933 · ISO/IEC 17025 ACCREDITED NATIONWIDE UK · REPORTS IN 5 DAYS CALL 0208 246 5562
CAUTION
LIVE · ACCEPTING BOOKINGS · UKAS LAB №7933

If the floor's slippery
you need a number.
Not an opinion.

Independent, UKAS-accredited pendulum testing to the method referenced by the Health and Safety Executive. Defensible Pendulum Test Values for floors, ramps, stairs and walkways — tested wet, dry and contaminated. Reports in 5 working days.

Request Quote → The Method
HSE Stat
#1
Slips are the largest single cause of major injury in UK workplaces.
Standard
PTV 36+
The benchmark Pendulum Test Value for a low slip-potential floor.
HSE Classification
Pendulum
Test Value
Scale
0–24
High Risk
Do not walk. Remediate immediately.
25–35
Moderate
Intervention required.
36+
Low Risk
Meets HSE benchmark.
File 02 · The Method
0 50 100 DYNAMIC FRICTION · HEEL STRIKE

The Pendulum is the only test HSE trusts on wet floors.

A rubber test slider swings from a fixed height, dragging across the floor surface. Energy lost to friction is recorded as a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) on a scale of 0 to 150.

It mimics the heel-strike of a person walking — the exact moment nearly all slip accidents occur. We test wet, dry, and with site-relevant contaminants present.

  1. Survey the site — identify representative zones, entrances, transitions, spillage points.
  2. Calibrate the pendulum and verify slider condition against reference rubber (Slider 96 / TRL).
  3. Minimum five swings per direction per area to establish a mean PTV.
  4. Record wet and dry; repeat with relevant contaminant.
  5. Cross-check with surface microroughness (Rz) for long-term performance interpretation.
!

Sled tests don't work on wet floors.

"It is strongly recommended that [sled] tests are not used to assess the slipperiness of wet or contaminated floors. Such tests may produce misleading information when used in such conditions."
— Health & Safety Executive · Slips Assessment Tool guidance
File 03 · Services

Six surveys. One standard.

From a single retail entrance to a national portfolio. Every package ends the same way: a UKAS-accredited report that holds up in front of insurers, contractors and courts.

/ 001 SINGLE SITE

Essentials
Survey

Up to 3 test areas on one site. Pendulum PTV wet & dry, photographic record, UKAS-accredited report. Retail, small offices, care homes.

From£395
/ 002 COMMERCIAL

Commercial
Survey

Up to 10 test areas with full slip risk assessment following the HSE SAT. Contaminant testing, microroughness, remediation advice.

From£795
/ 003 LEGAL

Expert
Witness

Post-incident testing for PI claims, EL/PL insurance and litigation. CPR Part 35 reports and courtroom testimony.

POABespoke
/ 004 NATIONAL

Portfolio
Testing

Multi-site programmes for retailers, hoteliers, leisure operators and local authorities. Dashboard reporting, portfolio scoring.

POABespoke
/ 005 NEW BUILD

Pre-Handover
Testing

Verify specified PTV before practical completion. Critical for main contractors transferring liability and BREEAM Hea 02 credits.

From£495
/ 006 TRAINING

Operator
Training

CPD-accredited in-house training. Pendulum operation, slider conditioning, PTV interpretation, SAT usage for your safety team.

Per head£295
File 04 · Process

Enquiry to signed report in under two weeks.

01

Brief

Tell us the site, floor types, test areas and deadline. Fixed quote within one working day.

02

Attend

UKAS-audited technician on site at a time that suits your operation — out-of-hours included.

03

Test

Pendulum PTV wet & dry, microroughness, photographs, contaminant testing where relevant.

04

Report

UKAS-accredited PDF delivered within 5 working days. Remediation guidance included.

File 05 · Request

Get a fixed quote today.

Tell us where, when and what. We'll come back with a firm price and available dates — usually within two hours during working hours.

Phone
0208 246 5562
Email
info@hse-slip-testing.co.uk
Hours
Mon–Fri · 07:00–18:00

Request Quote

Response within 2 working hours
File 06 · FAQs

What duty-holders actually ask.

Pendulum vs ramp vs sled — what's the difference?
The pendulum is the HSE-referenced method for assessing slipperiness in situ, including on wet and contaminated surfaces. Ramp tests (used in German DIN standards) generate slip resistance data in the lab but rely on unusual contaminants and footwear. Sled tests are only accurate on perfectly clean, dry floors — HSE strongly recommends against using them on wet or contaminated surfaces. For real-world assessment, the pendulum is the method that stands up in court.
What PTV does a floor need to pass?
HSE classifies 0–24 as high slip potential, 25–35 as moderate, and 36 or above as low slip potential. A PTV of 36+ in both wet and dry states — measured with the appropriate rubber slider (Slider 96 or TRL depending on footwear type) — is the benchmark for a floor considered safe under normal use.
Do you test while the site is trading or operating?
Yes. The pendulum is portable and non-destructive — no chemicals, heat or damage. We work around trading hours, production runs and patient areas. Out-of-hours and night-shift testing is standard at no extra cost for sites that need it.
Will your report stand up in a personal injury claim?
Yes. Every report is issued under our UKAS ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, meaning the method, technician and equipment are all independently audited. For litigation we produce CPR Part 35-compliant expert reports and provide courtroom testimony where instructed.
How fast can you attend?
Typical lead time is 5–10 working days, but we regularly attend urgent post-incident work inside 48 hours. For national programmes we schedule rolling coverage so any UK site can be tested within a week.
Are you the Health and Safety Executive?
No. We are an independent commercial testing company. Our method follows the guidance published by HSE and British Standards, and our laboratory is UKAS-accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 — but we are not part of, nor endorsed by, the Health and Safety Executive.