Slip rating checker
Two ways to use it. Enter a mean wet pendulum reading (BPN or SRV) to convert it to its AS 4586 P rating, or simply pick an area, from entry foyers to staff kitchens and external walkways, to see the minimum slip rating it should achieve. Do both to check a result against the recommendation. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
Use the mean value reported for a test location, measured with the four S rubber slider.
Pick where the reading came from to compare it against the HB 198:2014 recommended minimum. NCC classifications apply for stairs and ramps.
This tool is general guidance based on the published AS 4586:2013 classification table, HB 198:2014 recommendations and NCC classifications for stairs and ramps. It does not replace on-site testing to AS 4663:2013 or professional interpretation of results. Slip resistance also depends on conditions the number alone cannot capture, such as contamination, footwear and gradient.
How the slip rating checker works
Wet pendulum testing to AS 4663:2013 produces a British Pendulum Number (BPN), sometimes called a Slip Resistance Value (SRV), for each test location. That number maps to a slip rating from P0 to P5 under AS 4586:2013, where higher means more slip resistant when wet. The checker applies the published classification table, shown in full below.
No single slip rating is universally "compliant". What matters is the location: HB 198:2014 recommends minimum classifications by location type, which is why an external ramp needs far more grip than a dry corridor. The area mode compares your reading against that guidance, or shows you the target on its own if you have not tested yet, the same way results are interpreted in our reports. For the full background, see what is a slip rating? and our guide to Australian slip resistance standards.
Two cautions worth knowing. A reading near a class boundary deserves attention even if it technically passes, because floors drift downward as they wear. And a dry-service area is usually better assessed with the dry floor friction test and its D classifications than with a wet pendulum target; our guide to the two test methods explains when each applies.
Slip ratings in Australia: the P classification table
The complete AS 4586:2013 wet pendulum classification table the checker uses. Each P rating corresponds to a band of mean pendulum readings measured with the four S rubber slider.
| Slip rating | Mean wet pendulum reading | Wet slip resistance |
|---|---|---|
| P5 | Above 54 BPN | Very high. Suitable for demanding external locations such as steep ramps, commercial kitchens and ramps into pool water. |
| P4 | 45 to 54 BPN | High. Commonly recommended for external walkways, pool surrounds and wet public areas. |
| P3 | 35 to 44 BPN | Moderate. Commonly recommended for internal locations that get wet, such as entry foyers and toilets. |
| P2 | 25 to 34 BPN | Limited. Generally only appropriate for transitional areas kept dry by matting, awnings or similar measures. |
| P1 | 12 to 24 BPN | Low. Only listed for areas that stay reliably dry in service, where the dry floor friction test is usually the better benchmark. |
| P0 | Below 12 BPN | Very low. Not recommended for any pedestrian location that can get wet. |
Recommended minimum slip ratings by area
The same guidance the checker uses, in one table. It covers the areas we test most often in offices and commercial buildings: entrances, lift lobbies and lifts, corridors, staff kitchens and kitchenettes, toilets, stairs and the external approaches to the building.
| Area | Recommended minimum |
|---|---|
| External areas | |
| External ramp steeper than 1 in 14 | P5 |
| External ramp not steeper than 1 in 14 | P4 |
| External entrance way, walkway, footpath or forecourt | P4 |
| External balcony, veranda, courtyard or roof deck | P4 |
| External stair treads and nosings | P4 |
| External carpark area | P4 |
| Undercover carpark | P3 |
| Entrances, lobbies and circulation | |
| Internal entrance or entry foyer that gets wet | P3 |
| Internal entrance or entry foyer, transitional | P2 |
| Lift lobby at entry level that can get wet | P3 |
| Internal lift lobby, reliably dry | P1 dry floor friction D1 is the usual benchmark |
| Passenger lift car floor | P2 |
| Internal corridor or office floor, reliably dry | P1 dry floor friction D1 is the usual benchmark |
| Internal corridor that regularly gets wet | P3 |
| Internal stair treads and nosings (dry in service) | P3 |
| Internal stair treads and nosings that can get wet | P4 |
| Internal ramp steeper than 1 in 14 (dry in service) | P4 |
| Kitchens, toilets and amenities | |
| Staff kitchen with sink and dishwashing | P3 |
| Staff kitchenette or tea point, floor stays dry | P2 |
| Toilets and washrooms in offices, hotels and shopping centres | P3 |
| Commercial kitchen | P5 |
| Loading dock under cover | P5 |
| Wet and specialist areas | |
| Ramp or stairs leading into pool water | P5 |
| Swimming pool surround or communal shower room | P4 |
| Communal change room | P3 |
Slip rating FAQs
Quick answers to the questions we hear most about slip ratings in Australia. For the complete picture, see our standards guide and full FAQ.
What is a slip rating?
In Australia, a slip rating is a classification of how slip resistant a floor surface is when wet, expressed as a P rating from P0 to P5 under AS 4586:2013. The rating comes from the wet pendulum test, which measures the friction of the surface and reports a British Pendulum Number (BPN), also called a Slip Resistance Value (SRV). Higher P ratings mean more grip when the floor is wet: P5 is the most slip resistant, P0 the least.
What do the P ratings P0 to P5 mean?
Each P rating covers a band of wet pendulum readings: P0 is below 12 BPN, P1 is 12 to 24, P2 is 25 to 34, P3 is 35 to 44, P4 is 45 to 54 and P5 is above 54. P0 and P1 indicate very low to low wet slip resistance, P2 is generally only appropriate where floors stay dry, P3 suits wet internal areas such as entry foyers, P4 suits external walkways and wet public areas, and P5 suits demanding locations such as steep ramps and commercial kitchens. The full classification table is above.
What slip rating does my floor need?
It depends on the location, not the floor material. HB 198:2014, the Standards Australia handbook, recommends minimum classifications by location type: for example P3 for internal entries that get wet, P4 for external walkways and swimming pool surrounds, and P5 for commercial kitchens and ramps leading into pool water. Areas that stay reliably dry in service are usually assessed with the dry floor friction test instead, where D1 is the expected result. The table of recommended minimums by area above covers the common cases, or pick an area in the checker.
What is a BPN or SRV reading?
BPN stands for British Pendulum Number and SRV for Slip Resistance Value; they are two names for the same number produced by the wet pendulum test under AS 4663:2013. A calibrated pendulum with a rubber slider swings across the wetted floor, and the friction it meets determines the reading. The mean reading for a test location maps to a P slip rating: for example a mean of 47 BPN is a P4. Our guide to reading a slip test report explains where the number comes from.
What is the difference between P ratings and R ratings?
P ratings come from the wet pendulum test and can be measured on floors already installed, which makes them the usual benchmark for existing buildings in Australia. R ratings (R9 to R13) come from the oil-wet inclined ramp test, a laboratory method used to classify new products before installation; an R rating cannot be verified on site. If you are assessing an installed floor, the P rating is the number that matters. We compare the two systems in detail in P ratings vs R ratings.
Is there a legally required slip rating in Australia?
The National Construction Code sets mandatory slip resistance classifications for stair treads, ramps and landings in new building work. Beyond that, most slip ratings are recommendations from HB 198:2014 rather than law, but WHS legislation requires building operators to manage slip risks, and courts and insurers routinely refer to the handbook's recommended minimums. Regular slip testing to AS 4663:2013 is the accepted way to demonstrate that duty is being met; more in is slip testing mandatory in Australia?