AS 4663 slip resistance testing of existing floors
AS 4663:2013 is the Australian Standard for slip resistance testing of installed floors. The same method is what people mean by AS/NZS 4663 or Australian Standard slip resistance testing: wet pendulum and dry floor friction on the floor you have, reported as P and D ratings and compared with HB 198:2014.
How AS 4663 testing of existing floors works
AS 4663:2013 covers slip resistance measurement of existing pedestrian surfaces. It is the method for floors already in service, not for classifying a new tile in a laboratory. The test is done in place, on the floor in the condition it is in that day. Two on-site methods apply.
The wet pendulum test is used wherever a floor can get wet in service. A rubber slider skims a wetted patch and the mean British Pendulum Number is grouped into a P rating from P0 to P5. Those class boundaries are the same ones AS 4586:2013 uses for new products, so a floor's rating when new and its rating after years of use can be compared directly.
The dry floor friction test is used on surfaces that stay dry. A motorised tester measures the coefficient of friction and reports D1 where the mean is 0.40 or more, or D0 where it is below that.
A number on its own is not a pass or a fail. HB 198:2014 recommends a minimum P or D class for each kind of location. Sliptest reports every result against that location-type target. Builders whose specification quotes an AS 4586 slip rating still need an on-site AS 4663 test of the finished floor; see slip testing for tenders. The same method is used in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and in Perth and WA by arrangement.
AS 4586:2013: the classes
AS 4586 is written for new pedestrian surface materials and describes four laboratory methods, but its lasting contribution is the classification scheme. Wet pendulum results are grouped into P0 to P5. Dry friction results are D0 or D1. The oil-wet ramp test produces R9 to R13, and the barefoot wet ramp test produces A, B and C. Because on-site pendulum results are reported in the same P classes, a floor's rating when new and its rating after years of use can be compared directly.
HB 198:2014: what each location should reach
The Standards Australia handbook is the piece that gives a number meaning. It lists location types and recommends a minimum class for each: P5 for steep external ramps, P4 for pool surrounds and commercial kitchens, P3 for entry foyers that get wet, and so on down to dry internal areas. A test result is only a pass or a shortfall relative to the recommendation for that specific location, which is why every entry in a Sliptest report states the target it was measured against.
The National Construction Code
For new work, the NCC requires stairs, ramps and landings in most building classes to achieve specified P or R classifications, and the relevant specification references AS 4586 for the testing of the materials. The NCC governs design and construction; once the building is occupied, WHS duties and HB 198:2014 take over as the practical benchmark for the floor's ongoing condition.
Why P ratings drift
The class boundaries are fixed but the floor is not. Traffic polishes, sealers fill texture, detergent film builds up and cleaning methods change. A new tile is tested in a lab in ideal condition. The same tile five years into service is a different surface, and only an on-site test tells you what it has become.
| Class | Slider 96 BPN |
|---|---|
| P5 | > 54 |
| P4 | 45 to 54 |
| P3 | 35 to 44 |
| P2 | 25 to 34 |
| P1 | 12 to 24 |
| P0 | < 12 |
| Class | Mean CoF |
|---|---|
| D1 | ≥ 0.40 |
| D0 | < 0.40 |
Recommended minimum class by location
A condensed view of the handbook's recommendations. The full tables run to many more location types and the handbook should be consulted for specification work. R classes apply to new materials only.
| Location | Wet pendulum class | Ramp class (new materials) |
|---|---|---|
| External ramps steeper than 1 in 14 | P5 | R12 |
| External ramps and paths, pool ramps and stairs into water | P4 or P5 | R11 to R12 |
| Pool surrounds, communal shower rooms and change rooms | P4 | B (barefoot ramp) |
| Commercial kitchens, serveries and food preparation areas | P4 | R12 |
| Entry foyers that receive rain, external stairs, hospital and aged care wet areas | P3 | R10 to R11 |
| Supermarket aisles, shopping centre malls and dry entry areas beyond the mat | P2 to P3 | R9 to R10 |
| Internal dry corridors, offices and dry lift lobbies | P1 to P2, or D1 dry | R9 |
Ratings questions
What is AS 4663 slip resistance testing?
AS 4663:2013 is the Australian Standard for slip resistance measurement of existing pedestrian surfaces. It is the on-site method Sliptest uses on installed floors. It sets out two field methods: the wet pendulum test, reported as a P rating from P0 to P5, and the dry floor friction test, reported as D0 or D1. Results are compared with the HB 198:2014 recommendation for that location type.
Is AS/NZS 4663 the same as AS 4663?
People searching for AS/NZS 4663 are looking for the same on-site Australian Standard the site cites as AS 4663:2013: slip resistance testing of existing, installed floors. Sliptest's method and reports use AS 4663:2013. Laboratory classification of new, uninstalled products is a different document, AS 4586:2013.
How do AS 4663 results relate to P ratings and HB 198?
The wet pendulum mean British Pendulum Number is grouped into P0 to P5 using the same class boundaries AS 4586:2013 uses for new products. Dry floor friction is D0 or D1. HB 198:2014 then recommends a minimum class for each kind of location. A result is a pass or a shortfall relative to that location's recommendation, not a generic compliant finding.
Is there a legal minimum slip rating?
For existing floors there is no single legislated number. Work health and safety law requires the risk to be managed, and HB 198:2014 is the reference that regulators, courts and insurers generally accept as the benchmark for what a location should achieve. New buildings must meet the slip classifications the National Construction Code sets for stairs, ramps and landings, which are specified in P and R classes.
What is the difference between a P rating and an R rating?
P ratings come from the wet pendulum test and apply to both new products and installed floors. R ratings come from a laboratory ramp test with oily contamination and apply only to new products. An installed floor cannot be given an R rating on site. If a specification quotes an R rating, the wet pendulum P class is what you can verify after installation.
Can a floor go from P4 to P2 without anything being done to it?
Yes. Wear, sealer build-up, polish and cleaning residue all reduce texture. A floor rated P4 when new commonly measures P2 or P3 after a few years of traffic, which is why installed floors are tested periodically rather than once.
What does D1 mean?
D1 is the dry floor friction class for a surface with a mean coefficient of friction of 0.40 or more. D0 is below that. HB 198:2014 recommends D1 for dry pedestrian areas.
Find out what class your floors are
Testing to AS 4663:2013 with every result compared with its HB 198:2014 target, and rectification by Premrest if a floor falls short.