America Has a Floor Safety Problem. We Can Fix The Test Process | Opinion

A slip hazard can be deadly, and America remains divided over the best method to evaluate it. That fact should trouble every property owner, regulator, judge, and policymaker. The statistics are grim. Over 43,000 older Americans died from falls in 2024, while emergency rooms treated roughly 4.5 million slip-related injuries among seniors.

One in four older adults reports a fall each year. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates 684,000 deaths from falls annually, with 37.3 million requiring medical care. Imagine an elderly woman with diminished strength and balance stepping into a shower and hesitating, recalling a neighbor who fractured her hip. Something as routine as taking a shower turns into a calculated risk.

The issue is solvable. A floor can be tested for slipperiness by analyzing its surface properties and evaluating the walking conditions. This doesn't mean sacrificing aesthetics; a floor can be visually appealing, hygienic, and safe simultaneously. We merely need the right tools for assessment, which we already possess. The U.K. Health and Safety Executive recommends the Pendulum coefficient-of-friction test, which is also available in the United States.

So why persist in arguing about which measurement is meaningful? Part of the issue stems from confusion. Various organizations issue differing methods, numerical values, and interpretations. Some measurements apply to specific scenarios but may be misinterpreted as universally predicting a slip risk. Even ASTM E303-22, the current standard for the Pendulum Tester, warns that measurements from this method may not align with results from other slip-resistance equipment.

A figure lacking its testing method is nearly useless. Claiming a floor requires a certain coefficient of friction without specifying the testing method is akin to stating a swimming pool should be "20" without clarifying whether we refer to degrees, feet, or something else. The numerical value appears precise, but the underlying question remains unanswered.

This problem extends beyond flooring. Every individual traverses various floor types. Parents carry children through lobbies. Workers navigate commercial kitchens. Older adults inevitably face the physical changes that make falls more severe. This is a worldwide concern concealed within an ordinary human activity: taking a step.

We are addressing this reality at the wrong moment. The U.S. older population surpassed 61.2 million in 2024, a 3.1% increase from the previous year. The Census Bureau predicts this share will rise from 18.9% in 2025 to 23.4% by 2060. The so-called Silver Tsunami is not a distant demographic trend; it is already impacting our communities.

In one scenario, an elderly woman confidently steps into the bathroom. A parent watches her child graduate. An older man continues living independently due to well-designed and tested environments. Scientific measurement serves its purpose in the background. In the other scenario, uncertainty persists. Disparate methods vie for dominance.

Building owners receive numerical results without adequate context. Families discover consequences only after a fall. The medical system manages additional injuries. A person who once lived independently contemplates the possibility of future falls. The technical solution exists. The decision now rests with those setting standards.

I urge federal agencies, standards organizations, building regulators, courts, and industry leaders to consider the widely used Pendulum Test internationally. John C. Sotter, co-founder of the American Floor Safety Alliance and president of Safety Direct America, a company specializing in floor slip-resistance testing, consulting, expert witness services, and related products, played a role in the 2022 ASTM E303 revision, the American Society for Testing and Materials pendulum-testing standard. His opinions expressed in this article are his own.