The 2010 revision of the Americans With Disabilities Act Guidelines have changed. Te new guidelines have rescinded the recommendation for Static Coefficient of Friction testing with an English XL. The new guidelines change the requirements for slip resistance. Many agencies responsible for setting floor safety standards are recommending ASTM C1028 only. To understand why go…
Over the last year we have been asked to give expert testimony in 12 states. The flooring issues were not just slip & fall (Florida, Texas, Illinois,), but failures of adhesives (Oregon), rubber flooring (California), Hardwood flooring (Vermont, Wisconsin), Ceramic Tile (Nevada), and carpet (Colorado), and sheet vinyl (Ohio). In each of these instances,…
In recent months we have had an influx of very interesting cases. A brand new hospital had all of its rubber flooring come loose. The sealer on a slate pool deck was flaking off. A house was shaking so badly that the stone flooring was braking. Moisture vapor intrusion caused a solid wood floor to…
A case just settled. The issue was the whether or not a contractor was responsible to fully present the features of a floor covering, This would hold for Wood flooring, stone flooring, carpet, vinyl tile, sheet vinyl, linoleum, sealers, vinyl tile and engineered glass.
Effective October 1, 2011 The Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association will only recognize the use of ASTM F 2170 (concrete relative humidity) testing. This standard disavows the use of the ASTM F 1869 (Calcium Chloride Test). Moisture vapor emissions have been the primary cause of failure in , wood flooring, rubber flooring, linoleum, sheet vinyl, vinyl…
It is the job of the floor expert to understand more than the floor covering materials. There are sundries, such as adhesives, transitions strips, moldings and tools that are relevant to the installation vinyl flooring, rubber flooring, wood flooring, ceramic tile, dimensional stone and carpet. Additionally, there are installation needs particular to hotel flooring, restaurant…
You think it’s easy to choose a floor expert, well it’s not! There are no college degrees in Flooring. The expertise is garnered over years. Niles Bore said, “An expert is someone who has made every conceivable mistake in a given field” Designers, Specifiers, Contractors, and Lawyers make the mistake of accepting a…
[media id=8 width=375 height=250] The standard for safe slip resistance, whether it be for vinyl flooring, rubber flooring, wood flooring, ceramic tile or dimensional stone, are published by OSHA, ANSII, ASTMI, and The American With Disabilities Act. As a floor safety expert (Member ASTM F-13 Committee, passageway safety), we focus on the materials…
[media id=7 width=375 height=250] We get involved in slip & fall cases where the appropriateness of the floor covering is questioned. The issue revolves around the safety of the floor based on the Static Coefficient of Friction (SCOF, the amount of drag created when a shoe sole interfaces the floor). The products involved include vinyl…
The operative concept in a floor covering installation is that it is 3 Dimensional, not flat. When a sub-floor undulates (a rolling hill and valley) it can ruin a flooring installation. It is natural to have a certain amount of undulation in a concrete slab (either below, on, or above grade). American National Standards (ANSI),…