UKAS slip testing for
pubs and bars.

Why pubs and bars commission UKAS accredited slip testing

Licensed premises have particular slip exposures: beer spills, wet glass-wash zones, cellar floors with routine contamination, plus external beer gardens through the seasons. Tenanted pubs have a specific tenant-vs-pubco liability split that UKAS evidence helps resolve in claim disputes.

Specific issues we see in pubs and bars

• Beer-spill zones at the bar. The customer-side floor at the bar sees continuous drink spillage. Testing with water and with diluted beer (lower viscosity, different friction) gives different results.
• Cellars. Cold, damp, occasionally wet. Staff-only. Employer's liability focus. Often the most-dangerous floor in the premises.
• Beer gardens and external decking. Seasonal weather exposure. Timber decking in particular can drop sharply in slip resistance when wet or algae-affected.
• Kitchen and glass-wash. Wet operation combined with kitchen grease. Employer's liability for staff.

Which standards apply

BS EN 16165 Annex C with water contamination and, where relevant, representative soft-drink/beer contamination. UKSRG Issue 6 protocol. For external timber decking, testing wet with and without algae-affected surface where seasonally relevant.

What you get

• UKAS accredited pendulum test report (Lab 7933)
• PTV results for every test location, dry and wet
• Interpretation against BS EN 16165 and UKSRG benchmarks
• Photographic record of test locations
• Measurement uncertainty statements (required for admissibility)
• 5 working day turnaround from site visit to report

Common questions

Tenant or pubco responsibility?

Depends on the lease. In fully-insuring tenant leases, the tenant carries the slip-testing cost; in tied-lease arrangements the pubco often commissions testing centrally. The report is the same either way — UKAS accredited and admissible.

Can you test during trading hours?

Usually no — we work around opening hours or during quieter periods. Most pub testing runs mid-morning before opening.

Do cellars really need testing?

Yes — cellar slip accidents are often the worst injury severity because drops are onto hard surface in confined space. HSE focus on this area in enforcement of licensed premises.

We have a multi-site pub group — audit?

Yes, we run multi-site pub audits regularly. Estate audits are typically scheduled as regional batches of 3-5 pubs per visit.