New investment means SATRA leads UK in slip testing

A new investment at SATRA has doubled the UK technology centre's capacity to assess the slip resistance of all types of footwear soles. The equipment, which also tests safety shoes to the latest European regulations, was designed and built in SATRA's own engineering workshop. It can also assess floorcoverings for their slip properties, so enhancing the centre's capabilities in additional consumer product test areas. Tests can be carried out under a wide variety of conditions and dry, wet and oily underfoot situations can be simulated. SATRA's test rigs are even fitted with ice trays to monitor friction properties of shoe soles on frozen surfaces. SATRA deputy chief executive Richard Turner says: 'We now have more capacity to measure the slip resistant properties of footwear soles than any other test laboratory in the UK - and probably anywhere else in the world. 'We also have on staff several recognised industry experts in slip - for example, SATRA holds the chair of the European and International (CEN and ISO) committees responsible for safety footwear standards and leads the EU Working Group developing test methods and performance criteria for protective footwear. 'Our specialists have also recently been to the USA to advise its standards body on the work we are doing on slip. 'As well as testing to the latest EU requirements, SATRA has its own methods and guidelines and we regularly assist all the major UK and international brands with their friction testing requirements. However, even with this new extra capacity, our equipment is working flat out every day.' SATRA also provides a battery of tests to measure slip properties of a wide variety of other materials - including coated fabrics, textiles and coated leathers. For some applications, such as golf gloves, the degree of grip, rather than slip, is assessed.