ASTM F462-79(2007)
(Specification)Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Slip-Resistant Bathing Facilities (Withdrawn 2016)
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Slip-Resistant Bathing Facilities (Withdrawn 2016)
SCOPE
1.1 This consumer safety specification covers the slip resistance of bathtubs and shower structures or combinations, used for bathing or showering, or both, herein referred to as bathing facilities.
1.2 This specification establishes definitions, methods of testing the slip resistance of bathing facilities, and the in-use performance requirements needed to minimize the accidents caused by slipperiness during any reasonable use.
1.3 This consumer safety specification is intended to describe a means to reduce accidents to persons, especially children and the aged, resulting from the use of bathing facilities.
The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the test method portion, Section 8, of this specification. This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
WITHDRAWN RATIONALE
This consumer safety specification covered the slip resistance of bathtubs and shower structures or combinations, used for bathing or showering, or both, herein referred to as bathing facilities.
Formerly under the jurisdiction of Committee F15 on Consumer Products, this consumer safety specification was withdrawn in July 2016 in accordance with section 10.5.3.1 of the Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committees, which requires that standards shall be updated by the end of the eighth year since the last approval date.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation:F462 −79(Reapproved 2007)
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for
Slip-Resistant Bathing Facilities
ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF462;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginal
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Thisconsumersafetyspecificationaddressesthebathtubandshoweraccidentsthataredueinwhole
or in part to the slipperiness of the bathing surface.
In response to the accident analysis and assignment of causes developed and identified for the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission by the Abt Associates, Inc., final report, “A Systematic
Program to Reduce the Incidence and Severity of Bathtub and Shower Area Injuries,” June 4, 1975,
this consumer safety specification provides a means to reduce accidents in bath and shower units
caused directly or indirectly by the slipperiness of the bathing surface.
It is not possible to cover, in this consumer safety specification, bath and shower units that are used
in a manner for which they were never intended. Furthermore, children do not always act prudently,
and the motions of the elderly and infirm are not always under complete control. These problems will
be covered in a consumer-education-type publication, designed to describe the hazards of the bathing
area, and suggestions concerning bather’s conduct to reduce these hazards.
This consumer safety specification is written within the current state of the art of bath and shower
technology.
1. Scope if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user
of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health
1.1 This consumer safety specification covers the slip resis-
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-
tance of bathtubs and shower structures or combinations, used
tions prior to use.
for bathing or showering, or both, herein referred to as bathing
facilities.
2. Referenced Documents
1.2 This specification establishes definitions, methods of
2.1 ASTM Standards:
testing the slip resistance of bathing facilities, and the in-use
D459 Terminology Relating to Soaps and Other Detergents
performance requirements needed to minimize the accidents
D799 Specification for Liquid Toilet Soap (Withdrawn
caused by slipperiness during any reasonable use.
2000)
1.3 This consumer safety specification is intended to de-
2.2 Federal Specification:
scribe a means to reduce accidents to persons, especially
PS-624g Soap, Toilet, Liquid and Paste
children and the aged, resulting from the use of bathing
facilities. 3. Terminology
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the
3.1 Definitions:
test method portion, Section 8, of this specification. This
3.1.1 applique—a material affixed to the bathing surface or
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns,
sump of a bathtub or shower for the purpose of increasing its
slip resistance.
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F15 on
Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F15.03 on For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Safety Standards for Bathtub and Shower Structures. contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
CurrenteditionapprovedFeb.1,2007.PublishedJuly2007.Originallyapproved Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
in 1979. Last previous edition approved in 1999 as F462 – 79 (1999). DOI: the ASTM website.
10.1520/F0462-79R07. The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
Available from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 4330 East www.astm.org.
West Hwy., Bethesda, MD 20814, http://www.cpsc.gov. Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, DODSSP, Bldg. 4,
“Performance Characteristics of Sanitary Plumbing Fixtures,” available from Section D, 700 Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5098, http://
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. www.dodssp.daps.mil.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F462−79 (2007)
3.1.2 bathing—theactofsubjectingall,asubstantialpart,or 3.1.15 textured surface—a bathing surface that contains
a specified part of the body to the action of water in a bathing elevationsordepressions,orboth,orthatincorporatesasecond
facility, with or without soap or bath oil, for purposes of health material for the purpose of improving the slip resistance of the
or cleansing. surface.
3.1.16 water (pure)— the liquid that consists of an oxide of
3.1.3 bathing facility—a bathtub, shower structure, or a
combination of a bathtub and shower, designed to restrict or hydrogen of the ratio one atom of oxygen to two atoms of
hydrogen.
contain the flow of water, or both, usually for the bathing use
of one adult or one child at a time.
4. Compliance
3.1.4 bathing surface—the portion of the sump of a bathing
4.1 No bathing facility shall either by label or other means
facility on which, by either common usage or design, a bather
indicate compliance with this specification unless it conforms
might be expected to step, stand, sit, or come in contact with
to all requirements contained herein.
while bathing or showering.
4.2 No product intended to be used as a slip-resistant retrofit
3.1.5 bath oil—a functional (emollient) or nonfunctional
item to a bathing facility shall either by label or other means
(cosmetic) formulation in the form of a liquid (clear or
indicate compliance with this specification unless it conforms
opaque), oil or nonoil, spray, powder, or encapsulated liquid.
to all requirements contained herein.
3.1.6 coeffıcient of friction—the ratio of the frictional force
4.3 If a bathing facility is intended to be retrofitted, treated,
to the force, usually gravitational, acting perpendicular to the
etc., to provide slip resistance after installation, there must be
two surfaces in contact. This coefficient is a measure of the
an indication, by label or other means, that the unit will not be
relative difficulty with which the surface of one material
in compliance unless the surface is treated with the approved
willslide over a surface adjoining itself, or of another material.
material(s) provided, in accordance with manufacturer’s instal-
The static or starting coefficient of friction is related to the
lation instructions.
force measured to begin movement of the surfaces relative to
each other. The kinetic or sliding coefficient of friction is
5. Requirements
related to the force measured in sustaining this movement.
5.1 The slip-resistant requirements specified herein are de-
3.1.7 dam—a horizontal elevated surface that must be tra-
signed to reduce the probability of falls due to slipping.
versed to enter a tub or shower structure, or a combination of
both. Relative terms are “rim” for tubs and combination 5.2 For any surface that is textured or treated with
tub/showers, and “threshold” for shower structures.
appliques, the pattern shall be such that a 1 ⁄2 by 3-in. (38.1 by
76.2-mm)rectangulartemplateplacedanywhereonthebathing
3.1.8 friction—the resisting force that arises when a surface
surface shall cover some textured or treated area.
of one substance slides, or tends to slide, against a surface
adjoining itself or another substance. Between surfaces of 5.3 The slip resistance of the bathing surface shall remain at
solids in contact there may be two kinds of friction: (1) static
or above the level required by this specification during the life
friction—the resistance opposing the force required to start to
of the manufacturer’s guarantee, using cleaning methods rec-
move one surface on or over another; and (2) dynamic
ommended by the manufacturer.
friction—the resistance opposing the force required to move
NOTE 1—It is emphasized that this specification was written within the
one surface on or over another at a variable, fixed, or
state of the art existing in early 1976. It is intended that a section dealing
predetermined speed.
with durability will replace 5.3 at the time of the next revision of this
specification.
3.1.9 retrofit—a component used to replace similar worn or
5.4 Any nonintegral slip-resistant material applied to a
expended parts of a manufactured product; a component that is
sump or bathing surface shall be removable without harm to
employed to modify a finished product in order to alter its
the bathing surface.
functional character.
5.5 All slip-resistant surfaces shall withstand, without
3.1.10 soap—the product formed by the saponification or
marked deterioration, the action of normal bathing soaps, bath
neutralization of fats, oils, waxes, rosins, or their acids, with
oils, body oils, and dirt normally encountered in bathing and
organic or inorganic bases.
showering.
3.1.11 slip resistance—the property of a bathing surface that
5.6 Characteristics of the Slip-Resistant Surface—This con-
acts in opposition to those forces and movements exerted by a
bather under all conditions of bathing or showering that can sumer safety specification provides for nine pairs of measure-
ments (see 9.1.1) distributed over that portion of the bathing
result in uncontrolled sliding; it is directly proportional to the
coefficient of friction. surface upon which measurements can be made as a basis for
determining compliance. These measurements are assumed
3.1.12 slipperiness—the property of a surface that indicates
characteristic of the entire bathing surface. In order to make
the degree of which uncontrolled sliding (of portions of the
this assumption valid, the entire bathing surface is required to
body) may occur.
have the same characteristics as the region chosen for slip-
3.1.13 smooth surface—a surface that is not textured.
resistance measurements. Conformance with this requirement
3.1.14 sump—the portion of a bathing facility intended for is determined by visual inspection and consideration of the
the collection of water, as limited by the height of the dam. quality control methods applied to the manufacturing process.
F462−79 (2007)
A Main frame K Handle
B Travel bars L Retainer plate
C Carriage M Control springs
D Vertical shaft N Adjustable attraction screw for magnet
E Articulated strut O Sensor facing clip (not shown)
F Recording shaft with magnet P Initial position stop
G Recorder clamp Q Trigger adjustment screw
H Trigger R Adjustable trigger stop (not shown)
I Sensor shoe S Indicator tube for recording shaft (not shown)
J Weight T Adjustable collar
FIG. 1NIST-Brungraber Tester
6. Instructions for the Operation of the NIST- the front of the carriage or by using the tester in an “uphill”
Brungraber Portable Slip-Resistance Tester mode on a surface inclined to an angle of at least 1°.) This
established an unbalanced lateral force against the carriage.At
6.1 Principles of Operation:
the instant that the handle is released and the vertical load is
6.1.1 The NIST-Brungraber portable slip-resistance tester
applied, the carriage begins to move back along the travel bars,
is designed to measure the static coefficient of friction between
inducing an increasing lateral load on the shoe as the angle
a representative foot surface and a surface for walking or
between the articulated shaft and the vertical shaft increases.
standing under true field conditions (see Fig. 1). It does this by
The tangent of this angle at the moment that slip occurs is
applying a predetermined vertical force (the weight) through
directly related to the static coefficient of friction. This angle is
vertical shafts and an articulated shaft to the sensor shoe.
measured by the recording shaft, which is magnetized and
6.1.2 At the start of a test, the carriage is brought forward to
drawn along by attachment of the attraction plate as the
a stop position such that the articulated shaft is not vertical but
carriage moves backwards. When slip occurs, the sensor shoe
set at a slight angle towards the back of the tester. (This is
hits the trigger so that the recorder clamp grips the recording
accomplished by either introducing an initial position stop at
shaft, retaining the shaft in the position assumed at the time of
slip. The measurement of slip resistance is read opposite a
“A New Portable Tester for the Evaluation of the Slip Resistance of Walking
notch in the indicator tube at the front of the recorder clamp
Surfaces,” NIST Technical Note 953, National Institute of Standards and
Technology, Washington, DC 20207. from a linear-graduated scale imprinted along the length of the
F462−79 (2007)
recorder shaft.This value can be directly translated to the static selection of calibrated springs that are stretched between the
coefficient of friction by use of the calibration chart or table low-friction linear ball bearing shoe and the rear of the tester
supplied with the tester. frame.
6.3.3 The two existing models of the NIST-Brungraber
6.1.3 Themotionofthecarriageiscontrolledbythesprings.
Tester have been calibrated repeatedly, in the horizontal
The retaining plate keeps the shoe in position while the tester
position as well as tilted laterally as much as 4°. The results to
is being lifted and moved to a new test location.
dateindicatethatthecalibrationisessentiallythesameforboth
6.1.4 When evaluating surfaces with low values of coeffi-
testers and is not affected by lateral tilts of up to 4°.
cient of friction, such as soapy bathing surfaces, the initial
6.3.4 The testers have also been calibrated after being
position stop (a short section of plastic tubing that is on the
modified or adjusted to permit the evaluation of sloping
front end of one of the travel rods) should be removed. This
surfaces. When testing surfaces that slope upwards in the
permitsthetestertostartinthepositioncorrespondingtoazero
direction of test, adjust the collars for the control springs to
value of coefficient of friction and requires that the carriage be
prevent excessive speed of travel of the tester carriage. For
given a slight initial push immediately after the handle is
surfaces inclined up to as much as 4°, if the tester is adjusted
released, unless the test is conducted “uphill” on a surface
as described to permit full travel of the carriage without an
inclined to at least 1°. For best results and to reduce operator
excessive jolt at the end of travel, satisfactory calibrations are
error as much as possible, tests on bathing surfaces should be
obtained.
conducted in the “uphill” mode whenever possible, since
...
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