Slip Resistance in Footwear – Manufacturer Briefing
Slip resistance is a critical but often misunderstood aspect of footwear performance. While footwear must pass standard slip tests to be sold, these tests have limited correlation with real-world slipping. As a result, products labelled “slip resistant” can still present a meaningful risk of slips and falls in everyday use.
This briefing from Neospire® explains the gap between compliance and real-world performance, and introduces a more meaningful way to measure and understand slip risk using the SoleXT™ system.
It covers:
Why current slip testing standards do not reflect real-world risk
How coefficient of friction (CoF) relates directly to likelihood of slipping
Evidence from HSE research and the SSHeW trial on slip-resistant footwear
How manufacturers can define minimum performance thresholds
How to differentiate products based on measurable slip performance
This is essential reading for footwear manufacturers, product developers, and technical teams looking to improve safety performance, reduce risk, and provide credible slip-resistant products.
Understanding slip performance doesn’t need to start with a large programme.
Getting started
Most manufacturers begin by testing about 5 products (either existing models, new developments, competitor footwear or a mix of all three) to establish a clear performance baseline.
We provide independent testing using the SoleXT™ system, measuring slip performance under controlled conditions (dry, water, and glycerol contamination) and reporting:
• Maximum CoF achieved
• Equivalent slip risk (likelihood of slipping)
• Indicative alignment with HSE GRIP ratings
This allows you to quickly identify:
• Which products perform well
• Which may present a higher slip risk
• Where development effort should be focused
Assessing your footwear
A standard footwear assessment is:
£200 + VAT per footwear model
This includes testing under dry, wet, and glycerol conditions on a defined surface.
Additional testing (different surfaces, contaminants, or comparative benchmarking) can be agreed depending on your requirements.
Most manufacturers begin with a small number of key products to understand performance and inform next steps.
How we support you
Depending on your needs, we can:
• Benchmark your products against others in the market
• Support development of higher slip-resistance ranges
• Help define internal performance thresholds
• Provide independent data to support product claims
All testing is conducted on a confidential basis.