Handbook guide

This Australian Handbook was prepared by Committee BD-094, Slip Resistance of Flooring Surfaces. It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on 28 May 2014. This Handbook was published on 16 June 2014.

State and territory governments adopt or vary such provisions in their regulations when appropriate.

Guidance is provided on the appropriate slip resistance of some common applications, the criteria for verifying compliance with slip resistance specifications, and the design for slip resistance of sloping surfaces.

The Foreword, and Scope and Application clauses of AS 4586-2013 caution that wear can affect the long-term slip resistance of some pedestrian surfaces; however, the Standard does not specify a method of accelerated wear conditioning or testing that is uniformly applicable and warranted for all pedestrian surface materials.

The supplier of new pedestrian surface materials should ensure that, at the time of delivery, the materials are in conformance with the specification. The supplier may be required to produce evidence of such compliance.

The installer, and (where appropriate) the head contractor, should ensure that a new pedestrian surface, at the time when it is handed over, it is in conformance with the specification. If, after installation but before handover to the eventual owner, the surface becomes worn or contaminated, then that is considered to be the condition of a 'new' surface.

Therefore, it is incumbent on those responsible to take steps to protect the surface until handover, bearing in mind that it could be subject to site test and possible rejection should it fail to meet the specification at the time of hand over.

After hand over to the owner, the surface ceases to be 'new' and subsequent testing would be in accordance with AS 4663-2013.