B101.1 DCOF Testing
ADA, NFSI, and ANSI standards for slippery surfaces
Bonded abrasive polished concrete floors are inherently more resistant to slipping than many other floor coverings and finishes because the polishing process refines the surface to provide the maximum contact area available under the sole of a shoe. The more contact area between a shoe sole and the floor surface reduces the potential for slipping. Slipping potential increases as the contact area between the shoe sole and floor decreases due to irregularities in the floor surface.
What is COF and why does it matter?
COF values are used to define the slip resistance of particular types of walkway surfaces when subjected to dry and wet conditions. The two types are static (SCOF), and dynamic (DCOF). SCOF refers to how much force is required to get an object to budge, move, or slip. DCOF refers to how much force is required to keep an object in motion or slide at a constant velocity.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has adapted three COF standards since 2009
- • ANSI B101.1 is a wet static measurement test written by NFSI
- • ANSI 101.3 is a wet dynamic measurement, also written by the NFSI
- • ANSI A137-1-2012 specifies methodology for DCOF testing of wet tile. The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) wrote this standard
Floors with a high traction rating present a low risk for slip and fall, while those with moderate and low traction present elevated risk for slips, trips, and falls.
The TCNA requires a minimum DCOF value of 0.42 for ceramic floors to be walked on wet.
Interestingly, the initial results of the CPAA workshops indicate that a wide array of polished concrete finishes provide wet DCOF measurements of 0.50 and higher, well above what is considered to be high traction.
Floor Finish Comparative
