We will provide an overview of ANSI A326.3 so you have a sense of what it is, the role it plays when it comes to walkway safety, and why it’s measurements are something you should care about when you’re measuring the compliance of your facility.
What Does ANSI Stand For?
ANSI is an acronym that stands for the American National Standards Institute. Founded in 1918, this organization regulates standards for products, processes, systems, and services offered in the United States.
The ANSI includes members from government agencies, companies, corporations and organizations, and scholars from a variety of academic fields.
What is the Role of the ANSI?
By establishing standards for products, processes and services, ANSI works to solidify the position of the US in the global market. Their goal is to ensure that features and performance levels of items created in the US consistently meet specific quality standards. They also play a role in some initiatives and accreditation programs related to environmental conservation.
Additionally, ANSI recognizes organizations that produce products and train personnel in accordance with their established standards and requirements. They monitor the products, processes and services that they have accredited, and update their specifications as needed.
Does ANSI Code Apply to Walkway Safety?
The short answer to this question is yes. ANSI A326.3 details the scientific system used to measure walkway friction and help further the goal to further prevent slips-and-falls. It also defines the previously undefined and loosely used term “slip resistant” and how your facility compares to a minimum acceptable Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF) level on your various walkway surfaces. These minimum acceptable levels have a direct correlation with how the human body’s natural walking ambulation responds to your flooring’s available friction level as it relates to slip and fall incidents.
In other words, ANSI A326.3 is not specific to any one type of walkway surface. The standard does specify minimum acceptable friction levels and translates these levels into to a measurement, a specific testing device and procedure that applies to all types of hard walkway surfaces.
Why Does ANSI Code Matter?
There are a few key reasons why ANSI standard A326.3 is important to consider when it comes to measuring the Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF).
Safety & Reliability
ANSI’s A326.3 standard ensures that a flooring’s available friction measuring process is conducted in a consistent and repeatable scientific manner held to procedural standards. This means that ANSI A326.3 levels and measurement device meet a specific standardized process as it applies to walkway safety, performance and functionality.
Quality
With ANSI accredited standards, the public at large can have a specific understanding of the quality of the acceptable minimum levels of a vast number of walkway surfaces, flooring products and procedures acceptable in a global market. All accredited minimum levels and procedures meet the same set of requirements and are described using the same consistent definitions and terms.
You can view the only current national consensus floor safety standard, at no cost, here.