Measurements of Friction Coefficient on Kitchen Floors in Restaurants

Abstract:

Friction measurements in the field were conducted in twelve restaurants in Taiwan. Four restaurants for each of the Chinese style, western style, and western style fast food restaurant were visited. The Brungraber Mark II slipmeter was adopte to measure the coefficient of friction (COF) in three areas in each of the restaurant. The results showed that three, two Chinese style and one western style, of the restaurants had mean COF lower than 0.5, a safety standard commonly adopted in the USA. Engineering/managerial interventions are required for those restaurants as far as employee safety is concerned. The fast food restaurants had more consistent COF levels than those of the other two types of restaurants as these restaurants only operate down-stream food preparation in the store. The Chinese style restaurants had significantly (p<0.05) lower COF than those of the western style restaurants. This was consistent with the commonly belief that Chinese style cuisine is much greasy, in general, as compared to those of western cooking.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 303-306)
• Pages: 773-776
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.303-306.773
• Online since: February 2013
• Authors: Kai Way Li, Hsuan Cheng Lin, Ching Chung Chen, Li Wen Liu, Chih Yong Chen
• Keywords: Coefficient of Friction, Field Measurement, Floor Slipperiness, Slip & Fall

References

[1] Leamon, T. B., Murphy, P. L., Occupational slips and falls: more than a trivial problem. Ergonomics 38(3), 487-498 (1995).

DOI: 10.1080/00140139508925120

[2] Grönqvist, R., Abeysekera, J., Gard, G., Hsiang, S.M., Leamon, T.B., Newman, D. J., Gielo-Perczak, K., Lockhart, T. E., Pai, Y. -C, Human-centered approaches in slipperiness measurement. Ergonomics, 44, 1167-1199 (2001).

DOI: 10.1080/00140130110085556

[3] Nagata, H. Analysis of fatal falls on the same level or on steps/stairs. Safety Science14: 213-222 (1991).

DOI: 10.1016/0925-7535(91)90022-e

[4] Li, K. W, Chang, WR, Leamon, TB, Chen, CJ. Floor slipperiness measurement: friction coefficient, roughness of floors, and subjective perception under spillage conditions, Safety Science 42(6), 547-565 (2004).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2003.08.006

[5] Chang, W.R., The effects of slip criteria and time on friction measurements. Safety Science 40, 593-611 (2002).

[6] Chang, W.R., Kim, I.J., Manning, D.P., Bunterngchit, Y., The role of surface roughness in the measurement of slipperiness. Ergonomics 44, 1200-1216 (2001).

DOI: 10.1080/00140130110085565

[7] Miller, J.M., Slippery, work surface: Toward a performance definition and quantitative coefficient of friction criteria. Journal of Safety Research 14, 145-158 (1983).

DOI: 10.1016/0022-4375(83)90042-7

[8] Moore, D.F., The friction and lubrication of elastomers. in G.V. Vaynor (ed. ), International Series of Monographs on Material Science and Technology, vol. 9: Oxford: Pergamon Press (1972).

[9] Li, KW, Hsu, Y-W, Chang, W-R, Lin C-H, Friction Measurements on Three Commonly used Floors on a College Campus Under Dry, Wet, and Sand-Covered Conditions, Safety Science 45(9), 980-992 (2007).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2006.08.030

[10] Li, K.W., Chang, WR, Leamon, TB, Chen, CJ, Floor slipperiness measurement: friction coefficient, roughness of floors, and subjective perception under spillage conditions, Safety Science 42(6), 547-565 (2004).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2003.08.006

[11] Courtney TK, Verma SK, Huang YH, Chang WR, Li KW, Filiaggi A, Factors associated with Worker Slipping in Limited Service Restaurants, Injury Prevention 16, 36-41 (2010).

DOI: 10.1136/ip.2009.022749

[12] Filiaggi, A.J. and Courtney, T.K., Responding to disabling occupational injuries in restaurants: Practice-based approaches, Professional Safety 48(5): 18-23 (2003).

[13] Webster T: Occupational Hazards in Eating and Drinking Places, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 27-33 (2001).

[14] Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, Annual Labor Inpection Report, Council for Labor Affairs, Taipei (2011). In Chinese.

[15] American Society for Testing and Materials, F-1677-05. Standard method of test for using a portable inclinable articulated strut slip tester (PIAST), Annual Book of ASTM Standards. vol. 15. 07. West Conshohochen, PA, American Society for Testing and Materials (2005).

DOI: 10.1520/f1677-05

[16] Li, KW, Chang, WR, Chang, C-C, Evaluation of Two Models of a Slipmeter, Safety Science 47, 1434-1439 (2009).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2009.04.006