Published 2026-02-12 · Slip-Tests UK
Before the visit: the five-item checklist
1. List the areas you want tested
Most sites have more slip-risk zones than their managers initially realise. Before the engineer arrives, walk the premises with a pen and paper. Note every area where: water, grease, food, cleaning chemicals, or mud can reach the floor; users frequently enter from outside; footfall is concentrated (stair tops/bottoms, lift lobbies, tills, entrances); and any area where a slip incident has previously occurred.
A proper list saves time on the day and ensures the engineer captures the right zones. Shared with the engineer in advance, it also lets them plan the most efficient order of testing.
2. Check access and timing
If your site has security or access requirements — visitor sign-in, contractor induction, H&S briefing — factor these into the booking. Confirm the engineer's expected arrival time, the contact person on site, and any access hours.
For hospitality and retail environments, consider whether you want testing during opening hours or out-of-hours. Out-of-hours attendance carries no surcharge if pre-arranged and avoids any customer impact.
3. Have a bottle of water and a dry cloth available
The engineer will bring their own water and testing materials, but having a sink accessible is useful. Pendulum wet-condition testing involves wetting the test area with clean water — tap water is fine.
4. Pull out any previous test reports
If the site has been tested before (by us or by anyone else), having the previous report available lets the engineer compare current readings to historical values. Year-on-year PTV trends are often more informative than any single test result.
5. Prepare any specific questions
The engineer will test, photograph, and log data — they do not typically provide remediation advice on the day (that would undermine UKAS impartiality). But they are a substantial technical resource. Any questions about testing methodology, standards, or what the numbers mean are genuinely welcome.
During the test: what the engineer actually does
The pendulum test is quick and non-destructive. For each area:
- The engineer photographs the location for the report
- The pendulum instrument is positioned on the floor and calibrated
- A rubber slider is fitted (typically slider 96 for shod environments)
- The pendulum is released, the slider strikes the floor, and the deceleration is recorded
- Multiple test runs are averaged for statistical reliability
- The floor is then wetted and the test is repeated for wet conditions
- All data is logged on the engineer's tablet or written record
Each area typically takes 10–15 minutes. A site with six test zones can be completed in 1.5–2 hours. A complex multi-floor site takes longer, but remains non-disruptive throughout.
Two decisions that matter
Decision 1: do you want winter or summer testing?
Floor PTV values often vary between summer and winter. A summer-only report is valid but shows the best-case scenario. A winter-conducted test (or ideally both summer and winter) shows the worst-case scenario — which is what the HSE and insurers are most interested in. For most UK commercial sites, we recommend annual testing scheduled during wet-weather months.
Decision 2: do you want additional zones tested speculatively?
If the engineer is already on site, adding additional test areas while they are there is substantially cheaper than commissioning a separate visit later. If you are uncertain about a particular area — a back-of-house corridor, a staff canteen, an external walkway — it is worth asking the engineer to include it in the visit.
After the test: what to do with the report
Within 48 hours you will receive a UKAS-accredited report covering each tested area, with PTV values for dry and wet conditions, photographs, classifications, and traceability references.
What to do with it:
Store it with your H&S records — slip test reports are legal evidence and should be stored alongside risk assessments, cleaning schedules, and insurance renewals.
Share it with your insurer at renewal — documented testing supports better premium terms and stronger claims defence.
Act on any zones failing threshold — if any zone tests below PTV 36 wet, create a documented remediation plan and re-test after implementation. Documented remediation is as important as the original test.
Book next year's test — annual testing is the minimum. Booking the next visit at the same time as receiving the current report is the simplest way to maintain continuity.
One thing NOT to do
Do not clean, treat, or alter the floor immediately before a test with the intention of improving the result. This produces a PTV that does not reflect normal operational conditions — and any subsequent incident will be defended against whatever the floor actually was during the incident, not what it tested at after deep cleaning. The test should reflect normal conditions, not staged ones.
The bottom line
Slip testing is not a disruptive or complex process. A little preparation — a list of test areas, confirmed access, any historical reports — makes the visit faster and the report more useful. For most UK commercial premises, an annual UKAS-accredited slip test is one of the least disruptive compliance activities on the calendar, and one of the most valuable.