ASTM F1637-21

Standard Practice for Safe Walking Surfaces

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice addresses elements along and in walkways including floors and walkway surfaces, sidewalks, short flight stairs, gratings, wheel stops, and speed bumps. Swimming pools, bath tubs, showers, natural walks, and unimproved paths are beyond the scope of this practice.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers design and construction guidelines and minimum maintenance criteria for new and existing buildings and structures. This practice is intended to provide reasonably safe walking surfaces for pedestrians wearing ordinary footwear. These guidelines may not be adequate for those with certain mobility impairments.  
1.2 Conformance with this practice will not alleviate all hazards; however, conformance will reduce certain pedestrian risks.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 28-Feb-2021
• ICS: 91.120.01 - Protection of and in buildings in general
• Technical Committee: F13 - Pedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear
• Drafting Committee: F13.50 - Walkway Surfaces

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F1637 −21 An American National Standard
Standard Practice for
1
Safe Walking Surfaces
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1637; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3.1.1 Bollard,
3.1.2 Carpet,
1.1 This practice covers design and construction guidelines
3.1.3 Cross slope,
and minimum maintenance criteria for new and existing
3.1.4 Element,
buildings and structures. This practice is intended to provide
3.1.5 Fair,
reasonably safe walking surfaces for pedestrians wearing
3.1.6 Footwear,
ordinary footwear. These guidelines may not be adequate for
3.1.7 Foreseeable pedestrian path,
those with certain mobility impairments.
3.1.8 Planar,
1.2 Conformance with this practice will not alleviate all
3.1.9 Ramp,
hazards; however, conformance will reduce certain pedestrian
3.1.10 Sidewalk,
risks.
3.1.11 Slip resistance,
3.1.12 Slip resistant,
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical 3.1.13 Walkway.
3.1.14 Walkway surface hardware, and
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
and are not considered standard.
4. Significance and Use
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4.1 This practice addresses elements along and in walkways
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
including floors and walkway surfaces, sidewalks, short flight
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
stairs, gratings, wheel stops, and speed bumps. Swimming
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
pools, bath tubs, showers, natural walks, and unimproved paths
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
are beyond the scope of this practice.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
5. Walkway Surfaces
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
5.1 General:
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
5.1.1 Walkways shall be stable, planar, flush, and even to
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
the extent possible.Where walkways cannot be made flush and
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
even, they shall conform to the requirements of 5.2 and 5.3.
2. Referenced Documents
5.1.2 Walkway surfaces for pedestrians shall be capable of
2
safely sustaining intended loads.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
5.1.3 Walkway surfaces shall be slip resistant under ex-
F1646 Terminology Relating to Walkway Safety and Foot-
pected environmental conditions and use. Painted walkways
wear
shall contain an abrasive additive, cross cut grooving, texturing
3. Terminology
or other appropriate means to render the surface slip resistant
where wet conditions may be reasonably foreseeable.
3.1 See Terminology F1646 for the following terms used in
5.1.4 Interior walkways that are not slip resistant when wet
this practice:
shall be maintained dry during periods of pedestrian use.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F13 on Pedestrian/
5.2 Walkway Changes in Level:
Walkway Safety and Footwear and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
5.2.1 Adjoining walkway surfaces shall be made flush and
F13.50 on Walkway Surfaces.
fair, whenever possible and for new construction and existing
Current edition approved March 1, 2021. Published March 2021. Originally
facilities to the extent practicable.
approved in 1995. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as F1637 – 19. DOI:
1
10.1520/F1637-21.
5.2.2 Changes in levels up to ⁄4 in. (6 mm) may be vertical
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
and without edge treatment. (See Fig. 1.)
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
1 1
5.2.3 Changesinlevelsbetween ⁄4and ⁄2in.(6and12mm)
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. shall be beveled with a slope no greater than 1:2 (rise:run).
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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F1637 − 21
absence, by the recommendations set forth by the Illuminating
Engineering Society of North America (IES) (Application and
Reference Volumes).
5.5.2 Illumination shall be designed to be glare free.
1
5.5.3 Illumination sh
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: F1637 − 19 F1637 − 21 An American National Standard
Standard Practice for
1
Safe Walking Surfaces
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1637; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice covers design and construction guidelines and minimum maintenance criteria for new and existing buildings and
structures. This practice is intended to provide reasonably safe walking surfaces for pedestrians wearing ordinary footwear. These
guidelines may not be adequate for those with certain mobility impairments.
1.2 Conformance with this practice will not alleviate all hazards; however, conformance will reduce certain pedestrian risks.
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
F1646 Terminology Relating to Walkway Safety and Footwear
3. Terminology
3.1 See Terminology F1646 for the following terms used in this practice:
3.1.1 Bollard,
3.1.2 Carpet,
3.1.3 Cross slope,
3.1.4 Element,
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F13 on Pedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F13.50
on Walkway Surfaces.
Current edition approved Feb. 15, 2019March 1, 2021. Published February 2019March 2021. Originally approved in 1995. Last previous edition approved in 20132019
as F1637 – 13.F1637 – 19. DOI: 10.1520/F1637-19.10.1520/F1637-21.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F1637 − 21
3.1.5 Fair,
3.1.6 Footwear,
3.1.7 Foreseeable pedestrian path,
3.1.8 Planar,
3.1.9 Ramp,
3.1.10 Sidewalk,
3.1.11 Slip resistance,
3.1.12 Slip resistant,
3.1.13 Walkway.
3.1.14 Walkway surface hardware, and
4. Significance and Use
4.1 This practice addresses elements along and in walkways including floors and walkway surfaces, sidewalks, short flight stairs,
gratings, wheel stops, and speed bumps. Swimming pools, bath tubs, showers, natural walks, and unimproved paths are beyond
the scope of this practice.
5. Walkway Surfaces
5.1 General:
5.1.1 Walkways shall be stable, planar, flush, and even to the extent possible. Where walkways cannot be made flush and even,
they shall conform to the requirements of 5.2 and 5.3.
5.1.2 Walkway surfaces for pedestrians shall be capable of safely sustaining intended loads.
5.1.3 Walkway surfaces shall be slip resistant under expected environmental conditions and use. Painted walkways shall contain
an abrasive additive, cross cut grooving, texturing or other appropriate means to render the surface slip resistant where wet
conditions may be reasonably foreseeable.
5.1.4 Interior walkways that are not slip resistant when wet shall be maintained dry during periods of pedestrian use.
5.2 Walkway Changes in Level:
5.2.1 Adjoining walkway surfaces shall be made flush and fair, whenever possible and for new construction and existing facilities
to the extent practicable.
1
5.2.2 Changes in levels up to ⁄4 in. (6 mm) may be vertical and without edge treatment. (See Fig. 1.)
1 1
5.2.3 Changes in levels between ⁄4 and ⁄2 in. (6 and 12 mm) shall be beveled with a slope no greater than 1:2 (rise:run).
1
FIG. 1 Changes in Levels up to
...