ASTM F462-79(1999)
(Specification)Consumer Safety Specification for Slip-Resistant Bathing Facilities
Consumer Safety Specification for Slip-Resistant Bathing Facilities
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.
1.4 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.
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Designation: F 462 – 79 (Reapproved 1999)
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for
Slip-Resistant Bathing Facilities
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 462; 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.
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 of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-
1.1 This consumer safety specification covers the slip resis-
tions prior to use.
tance of bathtubs and shower structures or combinations, used
for bathing or showering, or both, herein referred to as bathing
2. Referenced Documents
facilities.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.2 This specification establishes definitions, methods of
D 459 Terminology Relating to Soaps and Other Deter-
testing the slip resistance of bathing facilities, and the in-use
gents,
performance requirements needed to minimize the accidents
D 799 Specification for Liquid Toilet Soap
caused by slipperiness during any reasonable use.
2.2 Federal Specification:
1.3 This consumer safety specification is intended to de-
PS-624g Soap, Toilet, Liquid and Paste
scribe a means to reduce accidents to persons, especially
children and the aged, resulting from the use of bathing
3. Terminology
facilities.
3.1 Definitions:
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the
3.1.1 applique—a material affixed to the bathing surface or
test method portion, Section 8, of this specification. This
sump of a bathtub or shower for the purpose of increasing its
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns,
slip resistance.
if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user
3.1.2 bathing—the act of subjecting all, a substantial part,
or a specified part of the body to the action of water in a
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F15 on
Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F15.03 on
Safety Standards for Bathtub and Shower Structures. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved July 10, 1999. Published May 1979. contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Available from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
20207. the ASTM website.
3 5
“Performance Characteristics of Sanitary Plumbing Fixtures,” available from AvailablefromStandardizationDocumentsOrderDesk,Bldg.4SectionD,700
the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207. Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F 462 – 79 (1999)
bathing facility, with or without soap or bath oil, for purposes 3.1.16 water (pure)— the liquid that consists of an oxide of
of health or cleansing. hydrogen of the ratio one atom of oxygen to two atoms of
hydrogen.
3.1.3 bathing facility—a bathtub, shower structure, or a
combination of a bathtub and shower, designed to restrict or
4. Compliance
contain the flow of water, or both, usually for the bathing use
of one adult or one child at a time.
4.1 No bathing facility shall either by label or other means
3.1.4 bathing surface—the portion of the sump of a bathing
indicate compliance with this specification unless it conforms
facility on which, by either common usage or design, a bather
to all requirements contained herein.
might be expected to step, stand, sit, or come in contact with
4.2 No product intended to be used as a slip-resistant retrofit
while bathing or showering.
item to a bathing facility shall either by label or other means
3.1.5 bath oil—a functional (emollient) or nonfunctional
indicate compliance with this specification unless it conforms
(cosmetic) formulation in the form of a liquid (clear or
to all requirements contained herein.
opaque), oil or nonoil, spray, powder, or encapsulated liquid.
4.3 If a bathing facility is intended to be retrofitted, treated,
3.1.6 coeffıcient of friction—the ratio of the frictional force
etc., to provide slip resistance after installation, there must be
to the force, usually gravitational, acting perpendicular to the
an indication, by label or other means, that the unit will not be
two surfaces in contact. This coefficient is a measure of the
in compliance unless the surface is treated with the approved
relative difficulty with which the surface of one material
material(s) provided, in accordance with manufacturer’s instal-
willslide over a surface adjoining itself, or of another material.
lation instructions.
The static or starting coefficient of friction is related to the
force measured to begin movement of the surfaces relative to
5. Requirements
each other. The kinetic or sliding coefficient of friction is
5.1 The slip-resistant requirements specified herein are de-
related to the force measured in sustaining this movement.
signed to reduce the probability of falls due to slipping.
3.1.7 dam—a horizontal elevated surface that must be
5.2 For any surface that is textured or treated with appli-
traversed to enter a tub or shower structure, or a combination
ques, the pattern shall be such that a 1 ⁄2 by 3-in. (38.1 by
of both. Relative terms are “rim” for tubs and combination
76.2-mm)rectangulartemplateplacedanywhereonthebathing
tub/showers, and “threshold” for shower structures.
surface shall cover some textured or treated area.
3.1.8 friction—the resisting force that arises when a surface
5.3 The slip resistance of the bathing surface shall remain at
of one substance slides, or tends to slide, against a surface
or above the level required by this specification during the life
adjoining itself or another substance. Between surfaces of
of the manufacturer’s guarantee, using cleaning methods rec-
solids in contact there may be two kinds of friction: (1) static
ommended by the manufacturer.
friction—the resistance opposing the force required to start to
move one surface on or over another; and (2) dynamic
NOTE 1—It is emphasized that this specification was written within the
friction—the resistance opposing the force required to move
state of the art existing in early 1976. It is intended that a section dealing
with durability will replace 5.3 at the time of the next revision of this
one surface on or over another at a variable, fixed, or
specification.
predetermined speed.
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—thepropertyofabathingsurfacethat
5.6 Characteristics of the Slip-Resistant Surface—Thiscon-
acts in opposition to those forces and movements exerted by a
sumer safety specification provides for nine pairs of measure-
bather under all conditions of bathing or showering that can
ments (see 9.1.1) distributed over that portion of the bathing
result in uncontrolled sliding; it is directly proportional to the
surface upon which measurements can be made as a basis for
coefficient of friction.
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-
resistance measurements. Conformance with this requirement
3.1.13 smooth surface—a surface that is not textured.
is determined by visual inspection and consideration of the
3.1.14 sump—the portion of a bathing facility intended for
quality control methods applied to the manufacturing process.
the collection of water, as limited by the height of the dam.
3.1.15 textured surface—a bathing surface that contains
6. Instructions for the Operation of the NIST-
elevationsordepressions,orboth,orthatincorporatesasecond
Brungraber Portable Slip-Resistance Tester
material for the purpose of improving the slip resistance of the
surface. 6.1 Principles of Operation:
F 462 – 79 (1999)
6.1.1 The NIST-Brungraber portable slip-resistance tester between the articulated shaft and the vertical shaft increases.
is designed to measure the static coefficient of friction between The tangent of this angle at the moment that slip occurs is
a representative foot surface and a surface for walking or directly related to the static coefficient of friction. This angle is
standing under true field conditions (see Fig. 1). It does this by measured by the recording shaft, which is magnetized and
applying a predetermined vertical force (the weight) through drawn along by attachment of the attraction plate as the
vertical shafts and an articulated shaft to the sensor shoe. carriage moves backwards. When slip occurs, the sensor shoe
6.1.2 At the start of a test, the carriage is brought forward to hits the trigger so that the recorder clamp grips the recording
a stop position such that the articulated shaft is not vertical but shaft, retaining the shaft in the position assumed at the time of
set at a slight angle towards the back of the tester. (This is slip. The measurement of slip resistance is read opposite a
accomplished by either introducing an initial position stop at notch in the indicator tube at the front of the recorder clamp
the front of the carriage or by using the tester in an “uphill” from a linear-graduated scale imprinted along the length of the
mode on a surface inclined to an angle of at least 1°.) This recorder shaft.This value can be directly translated to the static
established an unbalanced lateral force against the carriage.At coefficient of friction by use of the calibration chart or table
the instant that the handle is released and the vertical load is supplied with the tester.
applied, the carriage begins to move back along the travel bars,
6.1.3 Themotionofthecarriageiscontrolledbythesprings.
inducing an increasing lateral load on the shoe as the angle
The retaining plate keeps the shoe in position while the tester
is being lifted and moved to a new test location.
6.1.4 When evaluating surfaces with low values of coeffi-
“A New Portable Tester for the Evaluation of the Slip Resistance of Walking
cient of friction, such as soapy bathing surfaces, the initial
Surfaces,” NIST Technical Note 953, National Institute of Standards and Technol-
ogy, Washington, DC 20207. position stop (a short section of plastic tubing that is on the
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. 1 NIST-Brungraber Tester
F 462 – 79 (1999)
front end of one of the travel rods) should be removed. This direction of test, adjust the collars for the control springs to
permitsthetestertostartinthepositioncorrespondingtoazero prevent excessive speed of travel of the tester carriage. For
value of coefficient of friction and requires that the carriage be surfaces inclined up to as much as 4°, if the tester is adjusted
given a slight initial push immediately after the handle is as described to permit full travel of the carriage without an
released, unless the test is conducted “uphill” on a surface excessive jolt at the end of travel, satisfactory calibrations are
inclined to at least 1°. For best results and to reduce operator obtained.
error as much as possible, tests on bathing surfaces should be
7. Test Specimens
conducted in the “uphill” mode whenever possible, since in
this mode the tester is self-actuating. 7.1 Description—The test specimen shall consist of the
bathing surface.
6.1.5 Tests on soapy surfaces should never be conducted in
the “downhill” position as this will cause a premature forward 7.2 Leveling—Bathing facilities are normally tested in the
installed condition. After leveling, the bathing surfaces will
motion of the shoe and the tester will not function.Also, when
conducting tests on soapy surfaces, the tester should be have the same slopes encountered under normal bathing
conditions and test measurements taken on these slopes are
restrained from slipping by holding firmly with the hand that is
not being used to operate it. more indicative of the slip situation existing during bathing.
6.2 Operation of the Tester—For a detailed step-by-step 7.3
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