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Healthcare · Buying Guide
Updated October 20262 min readHealthcare

Slip Resistance in Patient Care Areas

What the rules say about slip resistance, how to get real test data, and how surface texture changes cleaning time.

Pro Command EditorialBased on our product pages and guides

In this article

  1. What the rules say
  2. Ask for test data
  3. Surface and material choices
  4. Texture costs cleaning time

Key takeaways

  • The ADA asks for stable, firm and slip-resistant floors, with no number
  • ANSI A326.3 sets a wet DCOF of 0.42 or greater
  • Ask for manufacturer test data when you need a COF value
  • More texture gives more grip and more scrubbing
Slip resistance has to work when the floor is wet, not only when it is dry.

What the rules say

The ADA Standards state that floor and ground surfaces "shall be stable, firm, and slip-resistant." The ADA does not set a number. OSHA sets no coefficient of friction (COF) requirement. ANSI A326.3 sets a wet dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) of 0.42 or greater. Your facility and your authority decide which standard applies to a room.

Ask for test data

FlooringInc does not publish measured slip-resistance values. A "slip-resistant" line on a product page is not a test result. If your specification calls for a COF value, send us the SKU. We will request the test data from the manufacturer. Keep that data with your project records.

Need slip data for a patient area?

Send us the SKUs. We will ask the manufacturers for the test data.

Surface and material choices

  • Rubber: Our guides call rubber slip-resistant, even when wet. It also absorbs some impact, which helps if a person falls.
  • Vinyl: Vinyl gives good slip resistance with a textured surface. It may not be as slip-resistant as rubber in wet conditions.
  • Tile: A textured tile, such as a wood grain or stone texture, gives more traction than a fully smooth tile.
  • Carpet: Carpet gives decent traction. Use low-pile commercial carpet that is glued or tacked down.
⚠️ Grip is not the only safety point. Wheelchairs and walkers need a firm, stable floor that is bonded to the subfloor. A floor that dents, slides or folds is not safe, even if its surface grips.

Texture costs cleaning time

More texture gives more grip, but it also holds more soil. The American Animal Hospital Association describes this as a balance of cleanability and slip resistance. A coin or diamond pattern grips in a wet room, but soil stays in the pattern. Choose the balance for each zone. Put the most texture where the floor is often wet, such as a bathing area.

Some product pages describe the surface. For example, the Envee Tacky Back page says its 22 mil wear layer has aluminum oxide and is slip and stain resistant. That is a description, not a COF value. Place mats at all entrances to stop tracked-in dirt and moisture.

Sources

HealthcareBuying guideSlip resistanceSafety
Pro Command Editorial

Practical flooring guidance for commercial buyers, contractors, and facilities teams, written from FlooringInc product pages, category pages and guides.