Safety by choice, not by chance
Slip safety in Oxfordshire, explained.
Independent, UKAS-accredited floor testing — and a short, plain primer on how grip is measured, what the law asks of you, and how to prove a floor is safe.
Fig. 1 — the PTV scale. 36+ is low slip risk.
A short primer
Four things worth knowing
Grip fails where you can’t see it
A floor that felt fine when it was laid loses grip as it wears, as polish and residue build up, and as cleaning changes — usually without anyone noticing until someone slips. Slips and trips are the single most common cause of major injury in UK workplaces, and account for over a quarter of all non-fatal workplace accidents.
Source: HSE.
It can be measured precisely
The HSE’s preferred method is the pendulum, which gives every area a Pendulum Test Value (PTV), tested wet and dry. Where floors get contaminated, surface roughness (Rz) is measured alongside it.
36 or above is the low-risk threshold. More on both tests →
The duty is yours
Every employer and occupier has a legal duty to keep floors safe, so far as is reasonably practicable, and to assess the risk. In care settings, the CQC expects slip risk to be actively managed. A measured PTV turns that assessment from an opinion into evidence.
Proof you can rely on
An independent, UKAS-accredited report is the evidence an insurer, the HSE or the CQC looks for. This service is delivered by Surface Performance — the same accredited lab trusted on sites from Amazon and Gatwick to British Airways and TUI.
The two tests
Pendulum and surface roughness
Two complementary HSE-recognised methods, and we’re accredited for both. The pendulum measures grip directly; roughness (Rz) tracks how a floor changes, and matters most in kitchens, factories and other contaminated areas.
| PTV result | Slip risk |
|---|---|
| 0–24 | High |
| 25–35 | Moderate |
| 36 + | Low |
| Surface roughness (Rz) | Slip risk |
|---|---|
| Below 10 | High |
| 10–20 | Moderate |
| Above 20 | Low |
By the numbers
Why it matters
Slips and trips are the most common cause of major workplace injury.Source: HSE
Estimated annual cost of slips and trips to UK employers.Industry estimate
Estimated reduction in claim risk through regular accredited testing.Industry estimate
Coverage
Across Oxfordshire
From Oxford and the colleges to Banbury, Bicester, Witney and the Cotswolds — the whole OX postcode area, and nationwide beyond. See coverage →
Get a quote
Have your floors examined
Send the surface type, the rough area in square metres and where you are in Oxfordshire. A fixed, no-obligation quote comes back — usually the same working day.
Independent and ISO/IEC 17025 accredited (UKAS Testing Laboratory No. 7933). We test floors; we don’t sell flooring or treatments.