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Standards & the law
The standards we test to — and the duties behind them
Pendulum testing isn’t a proprietary gimmick; it’s a published, recognised method. And keeping floors safe isn’t optional — several pieces of legislation put it squarely on the building’s operator.
The testing standards
- BS 7976 (parts 1–3) — specifies the pendulum tester itself, how it’s operated and how it’s calibrated.
- BS EN 13036-4 — the method for measuring the slip resistance of a surface using the pendulum.
- UK Slip Resistance Group (UKSRG) guidelines — the practitioner guidance that sets out how to test properly and how to read the result.
- HSE guidance — the Health and Safety Executive recommends the pendulum as a reliable way to assess slip risk, and its thresholds are the ones we report against.
How the result is interpreted
| Pendulum Test Value (PTV) | Slip potential | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0–24 | High | The floor is unsafe in the tested condition and needs action. |
| 25–35 | Moderate | A borderline floor — manageable with the right cleaning and care, but worth watching. |
| 36 or above | Low | Roughly a one-in-a-million chance of a slip — the level the HSE regards as safe. |
PTV is not the same as an “R rating”
An R rating (R9–R13, from the German DIN 51130 ramp test) is a laboratory classification of a flooring product before it’s installed. A PTV is a measurement of the actual floor as it is now — worn, cleaned, sealed and walked on. A floor sold as “R11” can still test poorly once it’s down and in use, which is exactly why an in-situ pendulum test is what counts.
Your legal duties
Depending on your building, several of these will apply:
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — a general duty to protect employees and anyone else affected by your business, so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 — you must assess risks, and slip risk is a foreseeable one.
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 — Regulation 12 requires floors to be suitable and not so slippery that they put anyone at risk.
- Equality Act 2010 — safe, accessible routes for disabled people, which a slippery surface can compromise.
- Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 & 1984 — a duty of care to visitors who come onto your premises.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) — for care and healthcare providers in England, slip risk falls under safe, well-led care.
A measured pendulum test is how you turn all of that from an intention into evidence.
Get a quote If a floor fails →
- References: BS 7976-1/2/3; BS EN 13036-4; UK Slip Resistance Group guidelines; HSE guidance on slips and trips. This page is a general explanation, not legal advice — for your specific obligations, take suitable professional advice.
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