UKAS slip testing for
universities.

Why universities commission UKAS accredited slip testing

Universities manage some of the UK's largest and most varied estates — teaching buildings, science laboratories, student accommodation, catering, leisure and sports. Estate-wide UKAS slip testing supports health and safety committee reporting, insurance renewal, and incident defence. Many universities now commission rolling annual programmes covering a subset of the estate each year.

Specific issues we see in universities

• Large lecture theatre entrances. Peak-time pedestrian density combined with outdoor contamination on wet days. Entrance matting often inadequate at scale.
• Laboratory floors. Chemical-resistant floor specifications. Testing with water and with representative chemicals (where relevant) gives the risk picture.
• Student accommodation kitchens and bathrooms. Residential kitchens have different risk profile from commercial. Student bathrooms are frequent claim locations.
• Sports hall and gym floors. Sport performance specs vs. pedestrian safety. Both need testing against different benchmarks.

Which standards apply

BS EN 16165 Annex C for pedestrian surfaces; Annex B (barefoot) for pool and spa areas. Lab floor testing includes representative chemical contamination where operationally relevant. UKSRG Issue 6 protocol.

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

How does a multi-building university audit work?

Typically phased over 12-24 months covering representative buildings and surface types. Annual rolling programmes are common.

What about Grade II listed buildings?

Historic stone flooring presents specific testing challenges. We test non-invasively — no drilling, no marks, no damage.

Do you work with estate management teams directly?

Yes. We commonly report to university estates departments and facility management contractors. We can attend committee meetings if requested.

Student accommodation responsibility?

Depends on whether it's university-owned, PBSA operator-run or HMO. UKAS testing is format-agnostic — works for any responsible party.