Evaluation of Portable Slipmeter using Human Perception

Introduction
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the safe criteria of portable slipmeter using human perception onto the several different floor surfaces under contaminated conditions. It was difficult to find why many different slipmeters took there’s own safe criteria. It is still unclear how threshold values established in many literatures.

Methods
Two different subjective slippery evaluating methods, AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process) and Friedman test, were used to evaluate the perception of slipperiness of seven different floor surfaces under the contaminated condition with detergent solution. Twelve subjects worn same footwear and walked with self-selected step and cadence along the test floors. The SCOF(Static Coefficient of Friction) obtained for same test conditions with BOT-3000 was compared to perception of slipperiness to establish a save criteria.

Results
The very high significant correlation(r=0.97) was found between AHP and Friedman test. Also, The high significant correlation(r=0.96) was found between AHP and SCOF obtained with BOT-3000. The results suggested that the SCOF should be greater than 0.63 for safer walking.

Discussion
Perception rating obtained with AHP showed a high correlation with Friedman test and the SCOF obtained with BOT-3000 except for polished tile floor. The safe criteria obtained through this study were similar to ANSI/NFSI B101.1. There’s sufficient possibility that human perception will be used as evaluation tool of slip criteria.