Is an R10 rating enough for a commercial kitchen floor?

Why one rating cannot settle the decision

HSE advises obtaining reliable slip-resistance information, identifying the actual floor and using relevant testing. Its FAQs warn against relying on descriptions that do not establish wet performance and discuss the pendulum test. A result obtained in one set of conditions is not proof of performance under every contaminant.

Evidence: HSE slips and trips FAQs.

Compare the application as well as the number

Write down the cleaning regime, likely water, grease or food contamination, footwear, traffic and changes of level. Request evidence relevant to those conditions. Do not convert an R rating into a pendulum value or describe it as a universal pass for a kitchen.

Include drains, thresholds and how spills are managed. A product data sheet is one input to the assessment, not the complete assessment.

What should the specifier provide?

Ask for the exact flooring system, the test method and conditions, the proposed installation details and maintenance procedure. A competent person should explain why the combination meets the brief. This answer does not certify a site or prescribe a single minimum rating for every kitchen.

Sources and scope

Selected official sources checked 4 October 2026. Manufacturer facts are linked beside the relevant text; room-planning suggestions are FloorDesigns editorial guidance. This article does not establish complete catalogue coverage, live stock, approved prices or a project-specific fitting specification.