BS EN 16165 Slip Resistance Testing in Leicester & the East Midlands

What BS EN 16165 Covers

BS EN 16165:2021 ("Determination of slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces — Methods of evaluation") consolidates four test methods that were previously published as separate national standards. Each is described in its own annex and produces results that are not directly comparable with results from another annex.

• Annex A — Barefoot ramp test: the inclined-platform method for barefoot environments (pool surrounds, changing rooms), tested with soap-solution contaminant. Replaces the former DIN 51097.
• Annex B — Shod ramp test: the inclined-platform method for shod environments (industrial floors, kitchens), tested with oil contaminant. Replaces the former DIN 51130.
• Annex C — Pendulum test: the dynamic-friction method using a swinging pendulum arm with a rubber slider. Replaces BS 7976-2 and is the method preferred for in-situ assessment in the UK.
• Annex D — Tribometer test: a portable dynamic-friction instrument (e.g. GMG-200) used in dry and wet conditions.

Why BS EN 16165 Matters Now

If your specification, contract or insurance schedule still references BS 7976-2, it is referencing a standard that has been formally withdrawn. New specifications and tender documents should reference BS EN 16165:2021, and pendulum testing should specifically reference Annex C. We routinely advise architects, main contractors and facilities teams across the East Midlands on updating wording at the specification stage to avoid problems at handover.

The Four Methods at a Glance

Annex A — Barefoot Ramp (formerly DIN 51097)

Trained operators walk back and forth, barefoot, on a sample fixed to an inclined platform sprayed with a dilute soap solution. The platform angle is raised until the operator slips. Results map onto the familiar A, B and C ratings (A = lowest, C = highest barefoot slip resistance). Used widely for swimming pool surrounds, communal showers and barefoot leisure environments.

Annex B — Shod Ramp (formerly DIN 51130)

The same inclined-platform principle, but operators wear standard test footwear and the contaminant is engine oil. Results historically mapped onto R-ratings (R9 to R13) under DIN 51130, but under BS EN 16165 the result is reported as a single angular value rather than a banded R-rating. Used for industrial flooring, food processing, commercial kitchens and external paving specifications.

Annex C — Pendulum Test (formerly BS 7976-2)

The HSE's preferred method for UK in-situ assessment. A weighted pendulum arm releases from a fixed height and a rubber slider strikes the floor; the residual swing produces the Pendulum Test Value (PTV). Tested in three directions, wet and dry, with Slider 96 for shod environments and Slider 55/57 for barefoot. Detailed information on our pendulum service.

Annex D — Tribometer Test

A portable instrument that drags a rubber slider across the surface at a controlled speed and records the dynamic coefficient of friction. Useful as a complement to pendulum testing in some forensic and research contexts, but not the primary in-situ method in UK practice.

Choosing the Right Annex

For most UK in-situ assessments — slip claims, post-incident testing, BS 8204 compliance, insurance verification — Annex C (pendulum) is the right method, and the only one we recommend for those use cases. For product specification and procurement (especially industrial flooring), Annex B ramp data or manufacturer R-rating declarations may still be referenced in tender documents.

Where a specification asks for "slip testing to BS EN 16165" without naming an annex, the safest interpretation is Annex C pendulum, both because it is the UK-preferred method and because it produces results that translate directly into the HSE's PTV framework.