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USA: Proposal on labeling requirements indicating slip-resistance information of floor coverings

july 2018- Relevant for: softlines

On 6 June 2018, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published notification of petition for rulemaking¹ on uniform labeling requirement for floor coverings to display slip-resistance properties.

This proposed rulemaking is based on a petition (CP 18-2)² submitted to CPSC by the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) on 19 April 2018. In the petition NFSI has requested CPSC to mandate labelling of floor coverings with slip-resistance (Coefficient of Friction) information using the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B101.5-2014 - Standard Guide for Uniform Labeling Method for Identifying the Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (Traction) of Floor Coverings, Floor Coverings with Coatings, and Treated Floor Coverings.

NFSI's petition request is a resubmission of a prior petition (CP 16-1)³, which the CPSC denied. The resubmitted petition contains certain modifications and additional information. According to NFSI, 55% of all same-level slips and falls occur as the result of a slippery walkway in the home.

CPSC is inviting written comment on this proposed rule, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2018-0014⁴, before 6 August 2018.

“Slip Resistance” is the frictional property of a floor or walkway surface that resist people from slip over. Slip resistance property is generally represented by “Coefficient of Friction” which is a numerical value. There is a level of coefficient of friction below which people tend to slip over and above which people don't.

[1] Federal Register 26228 | 6 June 2018

[2]  Petition CP 18-2 | 19 April 2018

[3] Record of Commission Action | Petition CP 16-1

[4] Docket ID: CPSC-2018-0014