The PTV 36 Standard: Why “Slip-Resistant” Labels Can Be Legally Misleading

Many business owners invest in flooring labelled “slip-resistant”, assuming it will protect both people and their business from risk. On paper, it sounds like a responsible decision. In reality, it often isn’t enough.

The problem becomes clear when an accident occurs. Despite having “safe” flooring, businesses still face injury claims, insurance disputes and legal scrutiny. At that point, the label on the product carries very little weight.

The uncomfortable truth is that “slip-resistant” is not a regulated or scientific guarantee. It is a marketing term. What courts, insurers and safety professionals actually look for is measurable performance—most notably, the Pendulum Test Value (PTV).

If liability is a concern, the real question is not what your flooring is called, but how it performs under real conditions.

Anti-slip steps

What is PTV? (The Technical Foundation)

The Pendulum Test is one of the most trusted methods for assessing slip resistance, defined under standards such as BS 7976-2 and EN 16165. It is designed to replicate the mechanics of a human slip as closely as possible.

The test uses a swinging arm fitted with a rubber “heel”. As it passes over the floor surface, it measures how much resistance the material provides. This simulates the moment a person’s foot makes contact and either grips or slips.

The result is expressed as a Pendulum Test Value, or PTV. This number directly indicates the level of slip risk.

A surface with a PTV below 24 is considered to have a high slip potential. Between 25 and 35, the risk is moderate and situational. Once the value reaches 36 or higher, the surface enters what is widely regarded as the “low slip potential” or safe zone.

That threshold—PTV 36—is not arbitrary. It has become a widely accepted benchmark in both safety engineering and legal evaluation.

The Legal Trap: Why Labels Are Misleading

One of the most common misconceptions is what might be called the “out of the box” fallacy. Flooring may achieve a high PTV score in a clean, dry factory test, but that does not reflect how it behaves in the real world.

Introduce water at an entrance, grease in a kitchen or dust in a warehouse, and the same surface can lose a significant amount of its slip resistance. What was safe in theory becomes hazardous in practice.

Another source of confusion is the use of R-ratings. These ratings are determined using a ramp test where a person in safety boots walks across an oil-coated surface. While useful in specific industrial contexts, this method does not reflect environments where people wear everyday footwear and encounter water-based spills.

From a legal standpoint, this distinction is critical. In the event of a slip-and-fall case, courts typically examine whether the flooring met safety expectations under the exact conditions of the incident. That often means wet or contaminated testing, not dry laboratory results from a product brochure.

If a business cannot demonstrate appropriate PTV performance in those conditions, a “slip-resistant” label offers little defence.

Thermoplastics: The Engineering Answer to PTV 36

Thermoplastic flooring systems approach slip resistance differently at a structural level. Instead of applying a thin anti-slip coating to the surface, they incorporate aggregates such as bauxite or quartz throughout the material.

This creates a deeply textured profile that remains consistent even as the surface wears over time. The slip-resistant properties are not just skin-deep; they are built into the entire thickness of the flooring.

This has important long-term implications. Coated systems like epoxy can gradually lose their texture as they are exposed to foot traffic, cleaning and abrasion. Over time, they may become smoother and more prone to slipping.

Thermoplastics, by contrast, maintain their performance. Even after extended use, they are far more likely to retain a PTV above 36.

They also perform reliably across a wide range of environments. Whether in sub-zero freezer rooms or high-temperature commercial kitchens, their slip resistance remains stable. This combination of durability and consistency makes them particularly suited to high-risk areas.

Maintenance: The Hidden Killer of Slip Resistance

Even the best flooring system can fail if it is not maintained properly. One of the most overlooked risks is the build-up of biofilm—a thin, often invisible layer made up of grease, detergent residue and organic matter.

This layer can significantly reduce traction. A floor that originally tested at a safe PTV level can drop into a high-risk range without any visible warning signs.

Cleaning practices are often the root cause. Traditional mop-and-bucket methods tend to spread contaminants rather than remove them completely. Over time, this leads to accumulation rather than cleanliness.

A more effective approach involves using appropriate cleaning agents, particularly pH-neutral solutions that do not leave residue, along with methods that physically remove dirt rather than redistribute it.

Slip resistance is not a one-time achievement at installation. It is something that must be actively preserved.

How to Protect Your Business

Protecting against slip risk—and the legal exposure that comes with it—requires a more deliberate approach than relying on product labels.

It starts with asking the right questions before installation. Flooring providers should be able to supply PTV data under wet or contaminated conditions, not just dry test results.

Verification should not stop there. Conducting on-site pendulum testing ensures that the flooring performs as expected in its actual environment. This creates a valuable record of compliance.

Ongoing maintenance is just as important. Keeping detailed documentation of cleaning procedures, schedules and products used can play a crucial role in demonstrating that proper care was taken. In legal contexts, this helps establish that the business fulfilled its duty of care.

Comparison Table: Dry vs. Wet Performance

Material	Dry PTV	Wet PTV	Risk Profile
Wood Flooring	35–45	15–25	High risk when wet
Polished Concrete	40–60	20–30	Moderate to high risk
Thermoplastic	40–70	36+	Low risk with consistent performance

Glossary: Key Terms

Pendulum Test Value (PTV): A standardised measurement of slip resistance obtained using a pendulum device that simulates foot contact.

Coefficient of Friction (CoF): A measure of how much resistance exists between two surfaces when one moves over the other.

Surface Microroughness (Rz): The microscopic texture of a surface that directly affects grip and traction.

Biofilm: A thin, often invisible layer of residue that reduces slip resistance over time.

Relying on a “slip-resistant” label is a gamble. Real safety—and real legal protection—comes from measurable, verifiable performance under actual working conditions.

The PTV 36 benchmark offers a clear, defensible standard. It shifts the conversation from marketing claims to evidence-based safety.

If there is any uncertainty about how your current flooring performs, it is worth addressing before an incident forces the issue.

Not sure if your floors meet PTV 36 in real-world conditions? Contact our technical team for a thermoplastic safety consultation and on-site assessment.