The pendulum DCOF slip resistance tester has been in use in countries around the world for measuring the slip resistance of floors since the 1940’s. Although the instrument was developed originally in the United States, the British began using it for investigating slip and fall accidents 50 years ago and began manufacturing the instrument more so than American manufacturers, and so the instrument is sometimes referred to as the “British Pendulum.”
Presently, the ASTM E303-22 in the United States and BS EN 16165:2021 in the United Kingdom and Europe are two test methods used for assessing the slip resistance of flooring materials with the pendulum skid test device. With the latest revision of ASTM E303 in 2022, the American pendulum dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) test method now more closely mirrors other pendulum slip resistance test methods from around world (across Europe, Australia/New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Singapore, Israel,
Here’s a video explaining how ASTM E303 has been updated to more closely resemble other British Pendulum test methods from around the world, and showing the pendulum testing the slip resistance of a floor: