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Slip risk assessment, and where testing fits
Managing slip risk is part of every duty-holder’s risk assessment. Here’s the practical version — and where a measured test earns its place.
Why a visual check isn’t enough
A risk assessment that says “floors kept clean and dry” is an intention, not evidence. Two floors that look identical can perform completely differently once they’re wet. The only way to know which is safe is to measure it.
A practical order of work
- Find the wet and contaminated areas. Slips happen where water, grease, food or cleaning product meets the floor — entrances, kitchens, wet rooms, wash-downs.
- Look at the transitions. Changes of level, ramps, steps and the join between two floor types are common trip-and-slip points.
- Measure the suspect areas. A pendulum test gives each a Pendulum Test Value, so you know which are genuinely safe and which need attention.
- Control what falls short. Cleaning method, matting, treatment or replacement — then re-test to prove the control works.
- Record and review. Keep the report on file and re-check after changes to the floor, the cleaning regime or the use of the space.
Where the test fits
Think of the pendulum test as the measuring step in your risk assessment — the bit that turns judgement into numbers, and gives you something to show if your assessment is ever challenged.
What ‘good’ looks like
A wet PTV of 36 or more is the HSE’s low-risk threshold. Below 25, the risk rises sharply and the area needs action.
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This is general guidance, not legal advice; for your specific duties take suitable professional advice.
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