Slip Resistance Assessment of Common Shoe Sole Materials on Selected Floor Surfaces

The four primary factors affecting the likelihood of slipping and falling include walking surface material and finish, footwear sole design and condition, contaminants present at the interface between the floor and shoe sole, and human factors issues such as gait dynamics and expectancy. Perhaps the least studied of these factors is footwear. Footwear sole materials vary widely in their composition, tread pattern, and hard-ness. The purpose of this study was to assess the slip resistance of a variety of common shoe sole materials on selected floor surfaces under wet and dry conditions. Five shoe sole materials were tested on six floor surfaces. The results showed a wide variance in slip resistance among popular shoe sole materials. Moreo-ver, some shoe sole materials were substantially more susceptible to reductions in slip resistance when the floor surface was contaminated with water.