Slip testing for strata managers

When a pedestrian flooring concern is raised, the strata manager may need to advise the strata committee about what action should be considered. This can be difficult when the information available is simply that a floor "feels slippery", a resident has complained, an accident has occurred or a contractor is recommending a particular treatment. Independent floor slip testing provides objective information that can help move the discussion from opinion to evidence.

Daniels can assist the strata manager to understand:

Our reports are designed to provide clear information that can be communicated to the strata committee and used to support informed decisions about common property.

Providing professional advice to an owners corporation also creates risk for the strata management business. Where a potential pedestrian hazard has been identified, it is important that concerns are appropriately investigated, recommendations are based on reliable information and decisions are properly documented.

Daniels provides an independent technical assessment that can help strata managers demonstrate that identified concerns have been referred to an appropriately experienced specialist and that the committee has been provided with objective information on which to base its decisions. This can be particularly valuable where there are competing opinions from residents, committee members, cleaners, flooring contractors or surface-treatment companies.

Daniels does not simply sell a flooring treatment. Our role is to independently test, assess and explain the findings, allowing the strata manager and committee to consider the most appropriate response.

Bruce Whiteley's experience as an expert witness and in slip, trip and fall investigations provides an additional perspective for strata managers. Accident investigations demonstrate the importance of not only the condition of the pedestrian surface, but also how identified risks were managed. Following a serious incident, issues that may be examined can include previous complaints, inspection and maintenance records, cleaning practices, previous incidents, testing results, communications, recommendations made to management and the actions taken in response.

This experience allows Daniels to apply lessons from actual slip and fall claims proactively — helping strata managers and committees consider potential weaknesses before an incident occurs.

An important question for a strata manager is:

If a serious slip, trip or fall occurred on common property, could we demonstrate that the identified risk had been appropriately investigated, reported to the committee and managed?

Daniels can undertake slip resistance testing following a resident complaint, reported hazard or slip and fall incident. Independent testing can help establish objective information about the surface rather than relying solely on subjective opinions about whether the floor is slippery. Where appropriate, Daniels can also undertake a broader slip, trip and fall risk assessment to consider surrounding conditions such as cleaning, contamination, gradients, stairs, changes in level, lighting, maintenance and existing risk controls.

The condition and slip resistance of common property flooring can change over time due to wear, weather exposure, cleaning practices, contamination and surface treatments. For larger residential developments and mixed-use properties, Daniels can establish periodic floor slip testing programs covering identified pedestrian areas. This provides the strata manager and owners corporation with documented information that can be used to monitor changes in floor performance and support ongoing maintenance and risk management decisions.

Daniels can also provide practical slip, trip and fall risk management training for strata management teams, building managers and, where appropriate, strata committees. Training can cover common pedestrian hazards, understanding slip resistance test results, responding to complaints, inspections, cleaning and maintenance issues, incident management and the importance of appropriate documentation. Drawing on Bruce's expert witness and accident investigation experience, the training can also demonstrate the types of information and management decisions that may later become important if an incident results in an insurance claim or legal proceedings.

The Daniels approach brings together:

For strata managers, this means more than determining whether a floor has a particular slip resistance classification. It provides independent technical information that helps you advise the strata committee, document identified risks, recommend appropriate action and better manage the professional and business risks associated with common property safety.