ANSI A326.3: The Complete Guide to Slip Resistance Standards

If you specify, install, or maintain hard surface flooring in the United States, ANSI A326.3 is the standard you cannot afford to ignore. It defines how slip resistance is measured, what thresholds constitute a safe walking surface, and which instrument is approved to perform compliance testing.

This guide breaks down the standard in plain language so facility managers, architects, flooring contractors, risk managers, and attorneys can understand exactly what ANSI A326.3 requires and how to achieve compliance.

What Is ANSI A326.3?

ANSI A326.3 is the American National Standard for Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF) testing of hard surface flooring materials. Published by the American National Standards Institute in coordination with the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), the standard establishes a uniform method for measuring how slippery a floor surface is under wet conditions.

Unlike advisory guidelines, ANSI A326.3 provides a specific, repeatable test protocol with defined pass/fail thresholds. That specificity is what makes it so valuable in compliance documentation, litigation defense, and specification writing.

Who Does ANSI A326.3 Apply To?

Facility managers and property managers responsible for maintaining safe walking surfaces
Architects and designers specifying tile, stone, polished concrete, or other hard flooring
Flooring contractors installing surfaces that must meet slip resistance requirements
Risk managers and safety directors documenting compliance to reduce liability
Attorneys evaluating slip and fall claims
Tile and flooring manufacturers validating product performance claims

The DCOF Thresholds: 0.42 and 0.50

Level Interior Surfaces: 0.42 DCOF Minimum

For level interior floors expected to be walked on when wet, the standard requires a minimum DCOF of 0.42. This applies to lobbies, restrooms, kitchens, entryways, pool surrounds, and any other interior surface where moisture is foreseeable.

Ramps and Steep Wet Areas: 0.50 DCOF Minimum

For sloped surfaces, ramps, and areas subject to continuous or heavy water exposure, the threshold increases to 0.50 DCOF.

What Happens Below the Threshold?

A surface that tests below the applicable DCOF threshold creates significant liability exposure. In slip and fall litigation, a below-threshold DCOF reading is powerful evidence that the property owner knew or should have known the floor was hazardously slippery.

How ANSI A326.3 Testing Is Performed

The surface is cleaned to remove contaminants.
A standardized SBR rubber sensor (Slider 96) is attached to the tribometer.
The surface is wetted with a 0.05% sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) solution.
The tribometer traverses the surface, measuring dynamic friction force.
Multiple readings are taken across representative areas.
Results are recorded and reported per ASTM F2048-00 and ASTM F1694-14.

The BOT-3000E: The Only Approved Tribometer

The BOT-3000E Digital Tribometer is the only instrument approved by ANSI A326.3 for compliance testing.

Not any tribometer will do. Not a British Pendulum Tester. Not a drag sled. The standard explicitly designates the BOT-3000E as the approved test instrument.

Walkway Management Group (WMG) is the manufacturer of the BOT-3000E and the leading nationwide provider of slip resistance testing services. WMG offers testing services, equipment sales and rentals, training and certification, and calibration and repair.

Related Standards

ANSI A137.1 — Specifications for Ceramic Tile
ASTM E303-22 — British Pendulum Tester method
ASTM F1694-14 — Walkway Surface Investigation Reports
ASTM F2048-00 — Reporting Slip Resistance Test Results
DIN EN 16165-23 and DIN EN 51130 — European slip resistance standards

Why Compliance Testing Matters Now

Courts expect property owners to demonstrate proactive floor safety management. ANSI A326.3 compliance testing gives you documented proof that your floors meet the nationally recognized safety threshold.