Safety Flooring and Anti-slip Materials

Safety flooring and anti-slip materials consist of textured plates, non-slip materials, and surface-roughened treads that are designed to prevent personnel from slipping and falling on floors, steps and walkways. There are many different types of safety flooring and anti-slip materials. Examples include grills, grids, grip plates, grip grates, textured plates, non-slip coatings, abrasive coated tapes, and expanded metal step covers. Self-cleaning and self-draining products often have diamond-shaped openings and serrated teeth. Safety flooring and anti-slip materials with larger diamond-shaped openings are made from thicker materials for high loading applications. Slotted surfaces are slip-resistant in all directions and permit the passage of air, water and light. Surface-roughened, textured treads with round, de-bossed holes allow fluids, mud, chips and debris to drain away. Safety flooring and anti-slip materials with smaller holes are suitable for plants, factories and processing facilities where oil and grease may cause accidents.

Safety flooring and anti-slip materials are usually made of metal or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP). Metal products are typically made of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, or galvanized steel. FRP products are based on polyester and vinyl ester resin systems. They are textured, fire retardant, and may meet incidental food-contact guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Safety flooring and anti-slip materials come in a variety of colors, surface types, and grating styles. Abrasive grit flooring embeds silica sand to a nominal depth as required by the application. Applied-grit flooring bonds epoxy grits to concave, half-moon (meniscus) cross-sections. Safety flooring and anti-slip materials that use bearing bars, cross bars, square, rectangular, circular or checker-shaped mesh are also available.

Abrasive sheets or tape with an adhesive backing and coatings filled with abrasive or granular media are also used to construct and maintain anti-slip flooring surfaces. The non-slip coatings or tapes are applied over surfaces of existing flooring or steps. Safety flooring and anti-slip materials differ in terms of product specifications, features, and approvals. Non-slip plates come in widths of 4, 5, or 6 in. and lengths of 8, 10, or 12 in. Flattened expanded metal plates can be purchased in stock sheets or cut to size. Stair treads and covers are available as surface-roughened plates, perforated plates, or expanded metal plates. In terms of approvals, safety flooring and anti-slip materials may meet guidelines from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Pages: 1 - 3 of 567