What is ISO 24267about?
Shoes are usually cherished possessions. Besides their utility value, shoes can be statement pieces and fashion accessories. Often, users intend to keep them for a long time, and match them with the outfit and activity. In addition to enhancing appearance, footwear protects the feet of the wearer from the elements. Shoes need to offer grip against surfaces, so that the wearer does not skid, slip, or fall.
ISO 24267 provides a method for determining the coefficient of friction between footwear and floorings under conditions simulating those experienced in the phases of a typical walking step when slip is most likely to occur.
ISO 24267 is applicable to all types of footwear and footwear components, outsole units, heel top pieces (top lifts), and sheet soling materials, excepting PPE footwear (Personal Protective Equipment) and special purpose footwear containing spikes, metal studs, or similar.
Who is ISO 24267 for?
ISO 24267 on the determination of coefficient of friction for footwear and sole components is useful for:
- Footwear manufacturers
- Footwear designers
- Research and development personnel
- Quality control personnel
Why should you use ISO 24267?
In addition to enhancing the wearer’s look, shoes also need to be functional. It is important that shoes offer grip on walking surfaces so that the wearer is safe from skidding and slipping. Usually, both footwear and walking surfaces offer frictional resistance. The coefficient of friction is a number that represents the relationship of these two surfaces — the force applied between the two surfaces vertically (pressing force) and laterally (frictional force).
As designers and manufacturers of footwear, your priority is to create footwear that reduces the risk of slips, trips, and falls. ISO 24267 determines the coefficient of friction for footwear and sole components.
The coefficient of friction for footwear is important to the process of walking because:
- A higher coefficient of friction means more friction and therefore more traction.
- A lower coefficient of friction means less traction and a slippery surface.
Using the tests elaborated in ISO 24267, you will be able to determine the slip-resistance of your sole material.
