Accepting bookings — Q2/Q3 2026 UKAS ISO 17025 accredited · Testing Laboratory No. 7933
★ Independently Accredited
ISO 17025
LAB № 7933
UKAS-accredited testing laboratory. Pendulum slip resistance testing — formally assessed for technical competence.
UKAS ISO 17025 Accredited  ·  Pendulum Slip Testing

Slip resistance testing built for hospitals.

Independent, defensible, UKAS-accredited pendulum testing for NHS Trusts, private hospitals, ISTCs, mental health units and specialist treatment centres across the UK and Ireland. Delivered on-site by Surface Performance Ltd — a real laboratory, with a real address, a real team, and the only credential that matters in court: ISO 17025 accreditation.

17025
ISO accreditation
BS 7976
Pendulum standard
UK + IE
Coverage
5days
Standard report turnaround
UKAS ISO 17025 Accredited BS 7976-2 Pendulum Testing BS EN 16165:2021 NHS Health Building Notes HSE & UKSRG Aligned CQC-Ready Reporting Surface Roughness (Rz) Court-Defensible Evidence UKAS ISO 17025 Accredited BS 7976-2 Pendulum Testing BS EN 16165:2021 NHS Health Building Notes HSE & UKSRG Aligned CQC-Ready Reporting Surface Roughness (Rz) Court-Defensible Evidence
01 / The credential that matters

Anyone can buy a pendulum. Almost no one is accredited to use one.

There is a fundamental difference between owning the equipment and being formally assessed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service to operate it. For hospital flooring — where slip incidents lead to clinical harm, RIDDOR reports, insurance claims and CQC scrutiny — only one of these is defensible.

Surface Performance — Hospital Slip Testing

UKAS Accredited Testing Laboratory

  • Operating under ISO/IEC 17025 — the international standard for testing laboratory competence.
  • Equipment traceably calibrated against national standards, with calibration records on every report.
  • Test methodology independently audited by UKAS surveillance assessors.
  • Reports carry the UKAS endorsement mark — accepted by HSE, courts, insurers and NHS Estates.
  • Operated by Surface Performance Ltd — a named, registered company with a physical UK lab address.
  • Sector-specialist team familiar with NHS Health Building Notes (HBN) and Health Technical Memoranda (HTM).
Typical "slip testing" website

Unaccredited resellers & lead-gen sites

  • Use a pendulum but are not themselves UKAS accredited — they may even claim the equipment is "UKAS-approved", which is misleading.
  • No independent assessment of method, environment, or operator competence.
  • No verifiable company name, address, or laboratory schedule on the website.
  • Generic, templated reports — fragile under scrutiny in court or at CQC inspection.
  • Anonymous testimonials. No insight into the people doing the work.
  • Often subcontract or refer the job onward — you do not know who is actually walking onto your ward.

The phrase "UKAS-approved pendulum" — used by a number of lead-generation websites in this sector — is a category error. UKAS does not approve equipment; UKAS accredits laboratories and testing bodies. If you ask the question "is your company UKAS accredited under ISO 17025?", the answer separates the genuine providers from the resellers in a single sentence.

02 / Service

A complete hospital floor-safety evidence package.

A single site visit produces the data, the report, and the defensible audit trail that NHS Estates, private hospital risk managers, and CQC inspectors expect to see. Designed for clinical environments — minimal disruption, infection-control-aware operatives, out-of-hours scheduling on request.

BS 7976-2
In-Situ Pendulum

The HSE-recognised method for measuring slip potential on hospital floors, in both dry and wet (contaminated) conditions.

BS EN 16165
European Method

Updated European standard for in-situ slip resistance, used in conjunction with BS 7976-2 for full coverage.

ISO 21207
Surface Roughness (Rz)

Micro-roughness measurement on smooth clinical surfaces — essential for vinyl, sheet flooring and resin in hospitals.

UKSRG
Guidelines 2022

UK Slip Resistance Group methodology — the reference framework cited by HSE inspectors and expert witnesses.

HBN 00-10
NHS Flooring Guidance

Reports cross-referenced to relevant Health Building Notes and Health Technical Memoranda for NHS Estates teams.

CQC
Regulatory Evidence

Reports formatted to support CQC fundamental standards on safe premises and equipment (Regulation 15).

RIDDOR
Incident Investigation

Forensic post-incident slip testing for HR, legal teams, insurers and personal injury defence.

PAS
Pre-Acceptance Surveys

New-build and refurbishment sign-off testing — verify before handover, not after a slip.

03 / Hospital areas

Every clinical environment has its own slip profile.

Hospital floors are not a single risk. A theatre suite, a hydrotherapy pool surround, an A&E entrance lobby and a kitchen all behave differently under contamination. Our hospital surveys are designed around the actual contaminants and footfall patterns of each zone — not a generic walkthrough.

A — 01

A&E and main entrances

Tracked-in rainwater, mud, and emergency-vehicle contamination. The single highest-risk public-facing zone in any hospital. Tested wet and dry, with attention to entrance matting performance.

PTV target ≥ 36 (wet)
A — 02

Wards and corridors

Vinyl and sheet flooring exposed to cleaning chemistry, spilt drinks and bodily fluids. Surface roughness is often the deciding metric — pendulum data alone can mislead on smooth clinical surfaces.

PTV ≥ 36 + Rz analysis
A — 03

Operating theatres & recovery

Conductive flooring, blood and saline exposure, and zero tolerance for slip incidents during procedures. Tested with appropriate slider and full photographic documentation.

PTV ≥ 36 (wet, contaminated)
A — 04

Hydrotherapy & physio pools

Barefoot wet environments — the highest-risk surface in healthcare. Tested with the appropriate slider and methodology specific to barefoot use, not standard footwear.

PTV ≥ 36 (barefoot, wet)
A — 05

Ensuite shower rooms & wet rooms

The most common location for in-patient slip incidents. Often retro-fitted with anti-slip vinyl that degrades over time. Annual retesting strongly recommended.

PTV ≥ 36 (wet)
A — 06

Kitchens & catering

Food, oil and water contamination. The flooring specification often does not match real-world use. Tested with contaminants representative of the actual environment.

PTV ≥ 36 (oil/water)
A — 07

Stairwells & nosings

Tread surfaces, stair nosings and landings — subject to BS 5395 and Building Regulations Part K. Often overlooked in routine slip surveys.

Treads + nosings tested
A — 08

External approaches & blue light

Paving, drop-off zones, ambulance bays and stretcher routes. Tested under wet conditions to reflect the most likely incident scenario.

PTV ≥ 36 (wet)
A — 09

Mental health & secure units

Anti-ligature considerations, robust flooring specifications, and patient observation routes. Discreet, sensitive on-site testing protocols.

Bespoke protocols
04 / Methodology

A four-stage process, traceable end to end.

Every hospital survey we deliver is auditable from initial scoping through to the final UKAS-endorsed report. No subcontractors, no anonymous testers, no templated conclusions.

i

Scoping & pre-visit

We work with your Estates, Facilities or Health & Safety lead to identify priority zones — high-risk areas, recent installations, post-incident investigations. Floor plans annotated, contaminant assumptions agreed in writing.

ii

On-site testing

Trained operatives carry out BS 7976-2 pendulum testing with traceably calibrated equipment, in both dry and wet (contaminated) conditions. Surface roughness measured where appropriate. Photographic and locational evidence captured at every test point. Infection-control aware throughout.

iii

UKAS-endorsed report

Within five working days you receive a full report carrying the UKAS endorsement mark: PTV results in dry and wet, surface roughness data, slip potential classification (HSE), photographic plates, plan-marked test locations, and clear pass/fail commentary against HBN guidance. Reports are written to stand up to CQC inspection and adversarial scrutiny.

iv

Recommendations & retest

Where corrective action is required, we set out the options — cleaning regime change, anti-slip treatment, surface replacement — and the expected impact on PTV. We are independent of all anti-slip product manufacturers. We do not sell flooring. We do not sell treatments. The only product is the report.

05 / Coverage

Nationwide service. Local response.

We deliver on-site hospital slip testing across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland — typically within two to three weeks of booking, with priority response available for post-incident investigations.

  • London & Greater London
  • South East
  • South West
  • East of England
  • East Midlands
  • West Midlands
  • Yorkshire & Humber
  • North West
  • North East
  • Scotland (NHS Scotland)
  • Wales (NHS Wales)
  • Northern Ireland (HSC)
  • Republic of Ireland (HSE IE)
  • Channel Islands (on request)

Browse all 50+ location and sector pages →

Sectors served
  • · NHS Acute Trusts
  • · NHS Foundation Trusts
  • · NHS Mental Health Trusts
  • · Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs)
  • · Private hospital groups (acute & specialist)
  • · Hospices & palliative care
  • · Specialist children's hospitals
  • · Dental hospitals & clinics
  • · Diagnostic imaging centres
  • · NHS Property Services & Community Health Partnerships
06 / Questions

Frequently asked, honestly answered.

What does UKAS ISO 17025 accreditation actually mean for my hospital?
It means the testing organisation — not just the equipment — has been independently audited for technical competence, traceability, impartiality and integrity of results. UKAS does not "approve" pendulums; UKAS accredits laboratories. When a hospital slip incident leads to litigation, RIDDOR investigation or CQC scrutiny, an accredited report is the only one that can be relied on without challenge. Many sites in this market trade on the word "UKAS" without holding accreditation themselves. Always ask: is your company accredited under ISO/IEC 17025, and what is your laboratory schedule reference? Surface Performance Ltd is UKAS Testing Laboratory No. 7933 — verifiable directly on the UKAS website.
What pendulum test value (PTV) should hospital floors achieve?
The HSE recommends a minimum wet PTV of 36 for low slip potential. In a hospital, that minimum needs to be tested under the contaminants actually present — water, cleaning residue, blood, bodily fluids, food in catering. Hydrotherapy pools and shower rooms must be tested with the barefoot slider, which is a different methodology. Smooth clinical vinyl often requires surface roughness (Rz) measurement to give a complete picture; a pendulum reading alone can be misleading on glossy surfaces.
Are NHS hospitals legally required to slip test their floors?
NHS Trusts have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (Regulation 12 — floors must not be slippery so as to expose any person to a risk to their health or safety), and the CQC fundamental standards (Regulation 15 — premises and equipment). Routine pendulum testing is the recognised mechanism for evidencing that duty of care, and NHS Health Building Notes specifically reference slip resistance for clinical flooring.
How often should hospital floors be slip tested?
As a baseline, we recommend an annual survey of high-risk areas. In addition: after every new floor installation or refurbishment (pre-acceptance), after a change of cleaning chemistry or supplier, after any reportable slip incident, and after observable wear. Hydrotherapy, theatres, kitchens, A&E entrances and ensuite shower rooms warrant more frequent intervals — typically six-monthly.
Do you test private hospitals as well as NHS Trusts?
Yes. We work with NHS acute and foundation trusts, ISTCs, the major private hospital groups, mental health and secure units, hospices, dental hospitals and specialist treatment centres across the UK and Ireland. Private clients often value the same accredited evidence base — for insurance underwriting, group-level risk management, and pre-acquisition due diligence.
How disruptive is testing to a live hospital environment?
Minimal. A typical pendulum test takes a few minutes per location and the equipment is portable. We routinely work in occupied wards, theatres (out of hours), and public-facing zones with full infection-control awareness. We will agree access windows, PPE requirements and infection-control protocols with your Estates or Facilities lead in advance.
Are you independent from anti-slip product manufacturers?
Yes — completely. Surface Performance Ltd does not sell flooring, anti-slip treatments or coatings. Our only deliverable is the testing and the report. That independence is fundamental to UKAS accreditation under ISO 17025 and to the credibility of the report itself. Where corrective action is needed, we set out the options impartially.
Can your reports be used in court or for an insurance claim?
Yes. Our reports are written to the same standard expected of expert witness evidence in personal injury cases. UKAS-endorsed reports carry the strongest possible weight in litigation and regulatory proceedings, and we have produced reports used in both claimant and defendant instructions, RIDDOR investigations and CQC matters.
07 / Get in touch

Speak to a UKAS accredited hospital slip testing specialist.

Whether you're a Director of Estates planning an annual programme, a Head of Risk responding to a recent incident, or a private hospital group consolidating provider compliance — we'll scope the work, give you a fixed written quote, and book a visit that fits around your clinical schedule. No call centre. No subcontractors. Direct contact with the people who do the testing.

A hospital-slip-testing.com service. Operated by Surface Performance Ltd, UKAS ISO 17025 accredited.

Request a hospital quote

Typical written response within one working day.