Service scenario

Post-Incident Pool Testing

After a slip incident at a pool — guest, member, pupil, patient — the most important task is to capture the surface in the condition it was at the time of the accident, before cleaning, remediation or surface ageing alters the evidence. Pool environments are particularly vulnerable to evidential drift because routine pool plant chemistry (chlorine, salt, regular filter backwash water) continually affects surfaces. Pendulum and surface roughness testing within days of an incident is the strongest evidential position.

Why pool incidents demand fast attendance

Pool surrounds change continuously in service. Within 48 hours of an incident:

The pool surround has been cleaned several times
The plant has run multiple filtration and backwash cycles, redistributing surface contamination
Chemical dosing (chlorine, pH adjustment, salt cells) has continued affecting tile chemistry
Footfall has continued, polishing high-traffic zones
Any contributing contaminant (sun cream, body oil, pool chemicals) has been removed

Each of these alters the evidential picture. Same-week attendance preserves what the claimant slipped on; six-week attendance does not.

What we capture in a post-incident pool visit

Pendulum data using Slider 55 and Slider 96 at the precise reported location, with surrounding control zones for comparison
Surface roughness Rz measurement at each test point and in adjacent areas
Photographic record of the surround, lighting, signage, drain locations, and any visible contamination
Documentation of the cleaning regime in operation at the time of attendance
Identification of the surround material and original specification where ascertainable
Pool plant chemistry record (chlorine, pH, calcium hardness) for the days surrounding the incident

Why both pendulum and Rz matter for pool incidents

Pendulum testing measures dynamic friction at heel-strike. Surface roughness Rz measures texture at a micron scale that the pendulum can't directly resolve. For pool incident investigation the combination is unusually informative because:

Pool surrounds frequently sit in the borderline PTV range where Rz adds context
Long-term surface degradation is visible in Rz before it appears in PTV
Anti-slip treatments and remedial works leave Rz fingerprints that confirm or contradict claimed surface modifications
Where the surround has been replaced post-incident, retained samples can be Rz-tested even where pendulum is no longer feasible on them

Working with insurers and solicitors

Most post-incident pool instructions come through the operator's insurer or via a defendant solicitor's panel. Where the matter is likely to proceed to litigation, we structure the testing methodology and report from the outset to comply with CPR Part 35, so the same data and report can be used both for early-stage liability assessment and, if needed, as expert evidence at trial.

Indicative pool incident timelines

Time elapsed	Evidential strength
24–72 hours	Strongest. Surface still reflects accident conditions if undisturbed.
1–2 weeks	Strong, with documented changes since the incident.
1–3 months	Useful but qualified. Pool plant chemistry will have altered the surface.
3+ months	Limited direct value of current surface; retained samples or photographic forensic reconstruction may be needed.