NEW ASTM Safety Standard for Walkway Surfaces Just Released. ASTM F3132-20
The title of F3132-20 is “Standard Practice for Selection of Walkway Surfaces When Considering Pedestrian Safety.” This standard provides some noteworthy guidance for architects, design and construction engineers, facility managers, property managers, and safety professionals to be more proactive in the selection of more appropriate walkway surfaces and materials.
There is a lot of information in this new standard. Below is a summary of a few of the points of interest from the standard for those in the industry of walkway safety and management.
The standard states that, “Conformance with this standard practice will assist in the reduction of slip and fall risk on walkway surfaces.”
“This standard practice will help with decisions regarding selection of slip resistant walkway safety solutions at the design phase of new construction and renovation as well as maintenance during occupancy phases. This standard practice should reduce the need to treat or replace slippery walkway surfaces post installation.”
It outlines conditions that determine the need for higher available traction. Surface roughness can affect available friction, particularly when the walkway is wet or when grease, oil, or other friction-reducing contaminants are present.
When walkway tribometer measurements are taken as part of the selection process, only walkway tribometers that meet the requirements of Practice F2508 should be used. Remember that test results from different tribometer models are not comparable. Perform the testing in accordance with the tribometer manufacturer’s operational instructions.
Surface roughness can affect available friction, particularly when the walkway is wet or when other friction-reducing contaminants are present.
Ceramic and porcelain tiles used in interior applications expected to be wet shall conform with the 2012 (or later) revision of ANSI/TCNA A137.1.
Walkway surface materials with higher available friction should be considered for areas with increased traction demand such as ramps and inclined surfaces, at entrances, and areas expected to be wet or soiled.
Determine the likelihood of water and contaminants being tracked into the building and contributing to slips and falls during inclement weather conditions. Mats should only be relied upon to mitigate slippery conditions when management can reliably maintain mats in place whenever needed.
Restrooms and food service area walking surfaces shall be slip-resistant as well as areas around water fountains, and other areas where walkway surfaces are susceptible to wet or contaminated conditions.
Please reach out to me and let’s discuss how this standard applies to your situation.
See the link below for further information and to purchase the standard.
F3132 - Standard Practice for Selection of Walkway Surfaces When Considering Pedestrian Safety is a new standard, now available. F3132-20 developed by Committee F13.50, ASTM BOS Volume 15.07.