Supermarket Slip Testing

Where claims actually originate

Across our supermarket testing caseload, the highest-risk zones are not where most operators expect. The most claim-frequent areas are typically:

• Entrance transition zone — the first 3–5 metres past the auto-doors during rainfall, particularly when matting is undersized or saturated
• Bottom of refrigerated aisles — condensation drips, freezer-case leaks, periodic defrost cycles
• Fresh produce mist arc — water mist drifting onto polished tiles outside the produce display footprint
• Fish, meat and deli counter approach — contamination from staff carrying products, plus counter ice melt
• Bakery zone — flour dust on dry tile is a real but underappreciated risk
• Trolley collection points outside — algae, leaf litter and frost on external paving

Pendulum thresholds for supermarket floors

UK supermarket flooring is typically specified at PTV 36+ wet under BS 8204. In practice, our test data across major retail chains shows that newly installed polished porcelain commonly hits 38–42 wet for the first 12 months, then drifts downward as cleaning regimes polish the surface and traffic wears the texture.

The HSE banding interprets PTV results as follows:

PTV (wet, Slider 96)	Slip potential	Supermarket interpretation
0–24	High	Foreseeable claim risk in wet zones; remediation indicated
25–35	Moderate	Borderline; depends on contamination frequency and footfall
36+	Low	Acceptable for a wet retail environment

What we test in a typical supermarket visit

A standard pendulum visit to a 3,000–5,000 m² supermarket covers 12–20 discrete test zones, with each zone tested in three directions, wet and dry. Surface roughness (Rz) measurement is added where forensic depth is needed — for example, where a polished area is failing PTV but the cause is unclear.

For multi-store operators we frequently run an annual or bi-annual programme covering an estate at scale, with comparable methodology between visits so trend data is meaningful.

After a slip incident

Where a customer accident has occurred, the priority is to capture the surface in the condition it was in at the time of the incident — before cleaning regimes change, before remedial work, before weather alters the surface. Post-incident testing is time-critical and we attend within days where instructed urgently.