ASTM_F_2965_-_13.pdf

Designation:F296513Standard Guide forSelection of Walkway Surfaces and Treatments WhenConsidering Aggressive Contaminant Conditions inCommercial and Industrial(Not Including Construction)Environments1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2965;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide is intended to assist in the selection ofwalking surfaces and treatments where the foreseeable pres-ence of aggressive contaminants produces the danger of a slipand fall injury events in commercial and industrial(notincluding construction)environments,for persons wearingappropriate footwear.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F1646 Terminology Relating to Safety and Traction forFootwear3.Terminology3.1 For general definitions of terms,refer to the Terminol-ogy F1646.3.2 Definitions:3.2.1 aggressive contaminants,nsubstances that create agross separation between the footwear bottom and the walkwaysurface.3.2.2 self-cleaning,adjproperty of a walkway surface ortreatment where foot pressure breaks up or displaces,or both,a contaminant on a walkway surface in a manner that restoresdirect contact between the walkway surface and the footwearbottom in contaminated conditions.4.Summary of Guide4.1 Slip and fall injury events are often caused by contami-nants on a walkway surface.Slips that occur because of thepresence of contaminants result from the additional interfacebetween the footwear bottom and the walkway surface.Theinterface between the footwear bottom and the walkwaysurface is replaced by an interface between the footwearbottom and the contaminant,and another interface between thecontaminant and the walkway surface.4.2 Aggressive contaminants create a gross separation be-tween the footwear bottom and the walkway surface,where theleast dimension of solid contaminants or the depth of highlyviscous liquid contaminants is greater than the height of thewalkway surface protrusions or asperities,and/or greater thanthe depth of texturing or tread of footwear.Aggressive con-taminants are exemplified by high viscosity liquids or semi-liquids such as juicy fruits and vegetables,rounded objects thatact as roller bearings such as rounded stones and gravel on hardsmooth surfaces,manufacturing scraps and byproducts on thewalkway surface,snow,ice,mud,and other similar contami-nants.4.3 Primary control of contaminants should be to eliminateor contain contaminants at the source to prevent contamination.Secondary control of contaminants,if needed,should be toestablish methodologies and procedures to promptly removecontaminants when introduced onto a walkway surface.Walk-way surface safety enhancement is recommended where thepresence of aggressive contaminants cannot be practicably andreliably removed from or otherwise controlled on a walkwaysurface to acceptable levels as determined by a competentsafety analysis.4.4 The primary enhancement method is to increase theslip-resistance of the walkway surface.Walkway surfaces withprominent projections of sufficient height or sharpness,or both,may be of benefit.Walkway surfaces that are self-cleaning asthey are used by pedestrians may be of benefit.Self-cleaning,as a property of a walkway surface or treatment,is where footpressure breaks up the contaminant on the walkway surface orotherwise forces the contaminant into voids between openings,1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F13 onPedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear and is the direct responsibility ofSubcommittee F13.50 on Walkway Surfaces.Current edition approved March 1,2013.Published April 2013.DOI:10.1520/F2965-13.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 peaks of abrasive material or texture,or both.The intent of theself-cleaning process is to restore direct contact between thewalkway surface and the footwear bottom.Examples ofself-cleaning treatments include grates and spike-like asperi-ties.In addition or alternatively,special footwear may bedesigned to enhance slip resistance,such as grit impregnated ordeep-tread footwear bottoms,attached snow treads,ice spikes,and others,or both.5.Significance and Use5.1 The slip hazard from aggressive contaminants on walk