How we test, and why you can rely on the results
A slip test result is only as good as the equipment, the procedure and the people behind it. This page sets out how Slip Audit conducts testing: calibrated instruments, documented procedures following AS 4663:2013, controlled conditions, and reporting that is reviewed before it reaches you.
Maintained and calibrated instruments
We test with wet pendulum friction testers and dry floor friction testers, the two instruments specified in AS 4663:2013 for existing pedestrian surfaces. Both are maintained on a schedule and calibrated so that the numbers they produce can be relied on.
- Calibrated equipment. Instruments are calibrated and their calibration status is tracked, so every reading traces back to equipment in a known state.
- Verification before testing. Our technicians run verification checks on the instrument before testing begins, confirming it is reading correctly on the day, not just at its last service.
- Controlled consumables. Rubber sliders are conditioned and prepared the same way before every test, because worn or inconsistent sliders are one of the most common sources of bad pendulum data.
The two instruments we use
Wet pendulum friction tester. A weighted arm swings a rubber slider across the wetted surface. The friction it meets is recorded as a British Pendulum Number, which maps to a P classification from P0 to P5.
Dry floor friction tester. A motorised instrument drags a rubber slider across the dry surface and measures the coefficient of friction, giving a D0 or D1 classification for surfaces that stay dry in service.
What a controlled test looks like on site
- Test locations agreed and recorded precisely, so a future retest measures the same spot
- Surface cleaned of loose debris and its condition noted before testing
- Slider prepared and conditioned to the documented procedure
- A defined number of swings and readings taken at each location, not a single pass
- Water applied and controlled for wet pendulum tests
- Readings recorded on site, with the surface, conditions and orientation noted
Documented procedures following AS 4663:2013
Every test we conduct follows a documented procedure based on AS 4663:2013, the Australian Standard for measuring the slip resistance of existing pedestrian surfaces. The procedure defines how sliders are prepared, how many swings and readings are taken at each location, and how the result is calculated.
Consistency is the point. Because every technician follows the same documented steps, a result from a Sydney site can be compared with a Melbourne one, and this year's round can be compared with last year's. That is what turns individual readings into a trend you can manage.
Every result recorded, interpreted and reviewed
Raw numbers do not manage risk, so our reporting does more than list them. Every result is recorded with its exact location, the surface and conditions at the time of testing, and the classification it achieved. Each classification is then interpreted against the recommendations of HB 198:2014 for that location type, in plain English.
Before a report is released, it is reviewed by our quality manager. That review checks the results against the field records, the interpretation against the guidance, and the recommendations against what we actually saw on site.
What every reported result includes
- Precise test location and surface description
- Test method, and whether the surface was tested wet or dry
- Conditions at the time of testing
- The readings taken and the resulting classification
- Comparison against the HB 198:2014 recommendation for the location type
- A plain-English interpretation and a prioritised recommendation
What the quality system covers
- Technician competency. Our technicians are trained against the documented procedures and their competency is assessed and recorded.
- Equipment control. Calibration, maintenance and verification records are kept for every instrument.
- Procedures. Test and reporting procedures are documented, versioned and followed on every job.
- Record keeping. Field records, results and reports are retained, so any result can be traced back to who tested what, when, and with which instrument.
Testing under a documented quality management system
Our testing operates under a documented quality management system. It exists for one reason: so that the result you receive does not depend on which technician turned up or which instrument they carried. The system controls how people are trained, how equipment is managed, how tests are run and how records are kept.
If a result is ever questioned, by an insurer, a lawyer or your own management, the records exist to stand behind it: the procedure that was followed, the instrument's calibration and verification status, and the review the report passed through before release.
Methodology is half the story
Rigorous testing tells you where your floors stand. What you do next matters just as much. Every report comes with prioritised recommendations, and where a surface falls short, Premrest scopes, quotes and completes the rectification, then retests to document the improvement.
For sites that want this on a schedule rather than as a one-off, our Floor Safety Compliance Program keeps the same methodology running round after round, with results tracked in a maintained register.
Check a reading yourself
Already holding a pendulum result? Our free P rating checker converts a mean BPN reading to its AS 4586 P classification and compares it against HB 198:2014 guidance for common location types.