An American National Standard

Designation: F 609 – 05

Standard Test Method for

Using a Horizontal Pull Slipmeter (HPS)1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 609; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope therefore, will not provide an effective assessment of a poten-

1.1 This test method covers measurement of the slip index tial slipping hazard on a walkway surface under these condi-
of footwear sole, heel, or related materials on dry walkway tions.
surfaces in the laboratory and in the field. 4.2 The value reported by the Horizontal Pull Slipmeter is
1.2 The dimensional values used in the test method are called the slip index. Slip index is ten times the static
given in units of inches, pounds, or degrees Fahrenheit. coefficient of friction. For example, a static coefficient of
Alternative equivalent values are in parentheses and are for friction of 0.4 is displayed by a slip index of 4.0 when
informational purposes only. measured by the Horizontal Pull Slipmeter.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 4.3 The HPS can be used on inclined surfaces. No adjust-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the ment for slope is needed for measurements in the direction
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- perpendicular to the slope and when averaging four measure-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- ments at one location taken according to step 10.14.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. 5. Apparatus 4
2. Referenced Documents 5.1 Horizontal Pull Slipmeter—See Fig. 1.
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 6. Reagents and Materials
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
Determine the Precision of a Test Method 6.1 Silicon carbide abrasive paper, No. 400 grit.
F 1646 Terminology Relating to Safety and Traction for 6.2 Camel hair brush or other non-static bristle material.
Footwear 7. Test Foot
3. Terminology 7.1 The test foot shall be Trademark Neolite5 Test Liner that
3.1 For definitions of terms, refer to Terminology F 1646. measure 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) in diameter and 0.25 in. (6.35 mm)
to 0.2 in. (5.08 mm), but not less than 0.2 in. (5.08 mm) in
4. Significance and Use thickness. When testing actual shoe materials, Neolite5 should
4.1 The Horizontal Pull Slipmeter3 is a laboratory and field be replaced with the desired test materials.
instrument designed to provide information about the slip 7.2 A set of three test feet of the same material are required
index characteristics between walkway surfaces and a test foot for performance of the test.
material under dry conditions only. The HPS can not be used
8. Calibration
on wet surfaces. Slip index can be affected by surface rough-
ness, presence of water, contaminants such as grease and other 8.1 Place the switch button, which is located just below the
foreign materials, and floor surface wear over time. Slip index, dial, in the center position. No switch is found on later model
as determined by the HPS, most likely will not give useful
information for evaluating liquid contaminated surfaces, and 4
The sole source of supply of the apparatus known to the committee at this time
is C.S.C Force Measurement Inc., 84 Ramah Circle North, Agawam, MA 01001. If
you are aware of alternative suppliers, please provide this information to ASTM
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F13 on International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a
Pedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear and is the direct responsibility of meeting of the responsible technical committee,1 which you may attend. Plans for
Subcommittee F13.10 on Traction. the instrument may be obtained at a nominal cost from ASTM International
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2005. Published December 2005. Originally Headquarters. Order ADJ12-606090-47.
5
approved in 1979. Last previous edition approved in 1996 as F 609 – 96e1. Neolite is a registered trademark with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or The sole source of supply of the apparatus known to the committee at this time is
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Smithers Scientific Services, Inc., 425 West Market Street, Akron, OH 44303, with
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on an average specific gravity of 1.27 6 0.02 and an average Shore A hardness of
the ASTM website. 93–96. If you are aware of alternative suppliers, please provide this information to
3
The Horizontal Pull Slipmeter was developed by C. H. Irvine of Liberty Mutual ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consider-
Insurance Co., Hopkinton, MA. ation at a meeting of the responsible technical committee,1 which you may attend.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Nov 22 16:28:26 EST 2007
Downloaded/printed by
Philip S Zacarias (Shawcor) pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
 F 609 – 05

NOTE 1—Total weight of slipmeter less power unit is 5.95 6 0.07 lb (2700 6 34 g). Speed of power unit is 3.5 6 0.5 in./min. Later model Chatillon
DPP-5 gages do not have a switch. Peak hold feature is found in the gage dial.
FIG. 1 Horizontal Pull Slipmeter

Chatillon DPP-5 gages. Later model gages have replaced the 10.4 Lightly brush the test feet using the non-static brush to
switch button with a peak hold mode feature. remove loose surface particles.
8.2 Grasp the slipmeter and hold in vertical position. 10.5 Place the slipmeter on its feet on the test walkway
8.3 Set the gage on zero by moving the rim on the gage. surface. The hook end shall face the power unit. Be sure all
8.4 Use a separate hook to suspend the slipmeter by the three test feet rest on the level walkway surface and not on a
hook located on one end of the slipmeter. The slipmeter should grout joint or other uneven surface.
hang freely.
10.6 Place the slipmeter power unit on the walkway surface
8.5 The needle on the dial of the gage should be within
in front of the slipmeter.
calibration range as indicated on the dial. If it is not within the
calibration range, the HPS should be sent to the manufacturer4 10.7 Put the switch that permits retention of maximum slip
for calibration. index indication in the center position. For later model Chatil-
lon DPP-5 gages with no switch, ignore this step.
9. Conditioning 10.8 Set the slip index meter on zero by rotating the bezel
9.1 For testing in laboratories, condition test feet for at least until pointer meets zero on dial. For later model gages with no
18 to 24 h in atmosphere maintained at 73 6 3.6°F (22.8 6 switch, use black knob on dial to set red needle on zero with
2°C) and 50 6 5 % relative humidity. black peak hold needle immediately to right.
9.2 When testing feet in the field or on fixed floor surfaces, 10.9 Push the switch on top of the gage toward the hookless
conditioning of test feet in accordance with 9.1 may not be end of the slipmeter to record the maximum. For later model
possible. The results obtained during the ruggedness test gages with no switch, ignore this step.
indicated that temperature could have a significant effect on the
10.10 Connect the string of the power unit pulley to the
measured slip index when tested at 50° and 85°F. Interpolation
hook of the slipmeter. The string should be parallel with the test
has not been established to make proper adjustments for
surface and in line with the pulley on the power unit. Align the
different temperature and humidity. However, it is recom-
pulley on the power unit with the hook on the slipmeter. Be
mended that the temperature and humidity be recorded, since
sure to keep the string alignment from the pulley straight (0 to
these records could help explain potential inconsistencies.
5°) with the hook on the slip meter. The string length between
10. Procedure the pulley and the hook of the slipmeter should not be too
10.1 Insert a set of three test feet in the slipmeter recesses. short, that is, no less than 4 in. or no more than two loops
Test feet can be held in place using all purpose glue. around the pulley.
10.2 Mount the abrasive paper on a flat 3 by 7-in. (76.2 by 10.11 Hold down the power unit with one or both hands to
77.8-mm) piece of 0.5-in. (12.7-mm) plywood. prevent it from moving; then depress the switch.
10.3 Sand the test feet with No. 400 abrasive paper. The
NOTE 1— Do not exceed 10 min dwell time between placing the test
sanding procedure should consist of five strokes of 5 to 6 in. in feet in contact with the walkway surface and slip index measurement. This
length, parallel to the friction measurement direction, followed dwell time is the time needed from 10.5 to and including 10.11. Slip index
by five strokes of 5 to 6 in. in length, perpendicular to the should be measured within 30 min after sanding and brushing, detailed in
friction measurement direction. 10.3 and10.11.

2
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Nov 22 16:28:26 EST 2007
Downloaded/printed by
Philip S Zacarias (Shawcor) pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
 F 609 – 05
10.12 Switch off the power unit when the slipmeter begins 11.1.17 Record each slip index reading, and record the
to move. average of four readings under dry conditions.
10.13 Record the peak slip index reading shown on the slip 11.1.18 Provide any comments relative to testing.
index gage (position of black needle). Record slip index
readings in excess of 8 as >8. 12. Precision and Bias 6
10.14 Repeat 10.5 through 10.13 for a total of four times for 12.1 Six laboratories participated in the precision and bias
each location. Rotate the slipmeter 90° in the same direction testing using Trademark Neolite5 Test Liner under dry condi-
(clockwise or counterclockwise) after each time. tions with six floor materials which represented typical floor
materials used. There were 16 determinations, four in each
11. Report direction, for each floor material. The values displayed below
11.1 The recording of the following items is recommended. are slip index that are ten times static friction coefficient. The
11.1.1 Client/customer. values of Sr and SR are the standard deviations for the
11.1.2 Location/address. repeatability and reproducibility, respectively, determined in
11.1.3 Date and time of test(s). accordance with Practice E 691. The values of r and R specify
11.1.4 Cite ASTM Test Method F 609 was used. the 95 % repeatability and reproducibility limits, respectively,
11.1.5 Name of HPS slipmeter operator. for each material.
11.1.6 Address and telephone number of operator. Material Average Sr SR r R
11.1.7 Brand, model, and serial number of HPS slipmeter Glazed ceramic 9.3344 0.3781 0.9670 1.0585 2.7077
used. OVCT 8.7917 0.6597 1.1251 1.8472 3.1502
11.1.8 Test foot preparation protocol. Glazed porcelain 8.3396 03753 0.7738 1.0507 2.1665
Red quarry 8.1667 0.2861 0.5416 0.8012 1.5164
11.1.9 Specific floor location and orientation of HPS slip- Unglazed porcelainA 8.1427 0.2400 0.5233 0.6721 1.4653
meter where test was performed. Glazed ceramic roughA 8.5469 0.2888 0.6692 0.8087 1.8738
11.1.10 Type of test foot material. A
Random texture pattern
11.1.11 Slope of surface tested. 12.2 Bias—The bias for the HPS is yet to be determined.
11.1.12 Floor material and texture. Provide details of grout
joints and floor texture for tile and brick floors, and so forth. 13. Keywords
11.1.13 Floor Finish—Indicate type of finish (for example, 13.1 shoe heel; shoe soling; slip index; static coefficient of
wax, polish, or paint) applied, if any, and condition of the friction
finish.
11.1.14 Floor Conditions—Indicate surface condition.
11.1.15 Indicate dry testing. 6
Supporting data are available from ASTM Headquarters. Request RR
11.1.16 Temperature and relative humidity (if relevant). F-13:1001.

ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned
in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk
of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the
responsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should
make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.

This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above
address or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or service@astm.org (e-mail); or through the ASTM website
(www.astm.org).

3
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Nov 22 16:28:26 EST 2007
Downloaded/printed by
Philip S Zacarias (Shawcor) pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.