Are you looking for chemical and corrosion resistance? Do you have an application that requires sanitary flooring? If you answered yes to these questions, it is likely that a stainless steel surface will be the supreme choice for your project.
According to the Metal Bar Grating Division of the National Association of Architectural Metal Manufacturers, “Metal bar grating can be fabricated to suit any configuration for your specific application. Bar spacing and riveted centers are variable and allow for products with open areas ranging from 50% to 90%. Extensive open areas allow for the passage of light and air, reducing the need for additional lighting and ventilation.” Industries have been using grates for a variety of applications. The food processing industry uses non-slip stainless steel grates for a variety of flooring applications, including stair treads, mezzanines and ramps. Stainless steel grates allow for the passage of light, liquid and air, while eliminating slippery elements such as oil and grease.
Keeping stainless steel floors safe and clean in the meat processing industry is a necessity. Food bi-products, fat, lubricants, and cleaning solutions among other slippery substances must be kept under control in order to ensure safety. There are important safety steps that can be taken.
According to the United States Access Board’s Accessible Rights-of-Way, “Metal gratings are of a particular concern to pedestrians who use walking aids. When wet, the grids can be extremely slippery, and the elongated openings can become a sliding track for the tip of a crutch or cane. Slip resistant finishes or nonmetallic materials are available at additional cost for installations where the location or extent of exposed gratings may post a problem for pedestrians.” Slip resistant sidewalk grating is recommended not only to provide a safe walking surface for pedestrians, but also to provide drainage when the surface comes in contact with slippery elements such as ice, rain and snow.
A metal stair nosing is a small but critical component of any stairway, whether the stairway is in an industrial facility or a commercial setting. Often times, smaller components of the stairway are overlooked or corners are cut because of costs and additional labor is involved. Metal stair nosings should not be ignored.
According to an article entitled “Sheet Metal Worker Safety” on the State Compensation Insurance Fund California website, metal industry workers should know that: “Standing, climbing, bending and squatting may be required for long periods. Keep your work close to you and rotate your tasks as much as possible to avoid fatigue.” Continuous movement is one way to keep workers steady on their feet, but another thing that should be considered is the floor surface itself. In my opinion, metal safety could be incorporated by using a flexible metal flooring method, such as non-slip perforated plate.
When comparing non-slip metal plate and diamond plate there are a few factors to consider: slip resistant surface area is one of them. Non-slip metal plate starts off as a smooth surface to which a slip resistant coating, like SlipNOT®, is applied. This ensures the most direct foot to surface area which means the most non-slip coverage and traction, even in the harshest of conditions. Diamond plate provides a somewhat slip resistant surface, but does not meet the same non-slip standards due to the raised diamond pattern. The raised pattern does not provide as much non-slip surface area as slip resistant metal plate because feet only come into contact with the raised part of the diamonds as opposed to a flat non-slip surface.
According to Answers.com, a metal grid is described as a “framework of crisscrossed or parallel bars; a grating or mesh.” The metal grid pattern when used for metal flooring applications provides an open, yet secure solution for a variety of industries including food processing, metals and mining, oil and gas, military and steel mills, among others. When a non-slip coating is applied, the metal grid provides a non-slip surface that will help keep employees and pedestrians on their feet. Non-slip metal grid is offered in aluminum, steel, galvanized steel and stainless steel. The open surface of the slip resistant metal grid plate allows for the drainage of slippery chemicals and other elements, but the grid spaces are close enough together to ensure secure foot to surface traction.
You may wonder why drain covers are necessary at your facility. Chances are, if you have the need for drains, you have the need for slip resistant metal drain covers. Drain covers are used to prevent large particles from clogging drains while allowing slippery substances to drain properly. Metal drain covers without a slip resistant surface can become extremely slick and dangerous to those who walk on the bare metal.
The Specialized Packaging Group, among the top ten folding carton converters in North America, contacted SlipNOT® Metal Safety Flooring to address a slippery walkway present in the packaging facility. In the printing press area, there was a two-foot walkway between individual printing stations used for operators to do adjustments. The aluminum checker plate that was previously installed in the press area was not performing well. The engineering group leader, noted “Due to spills, the aluminum checker plate would get tremendously slick”. In order to fix the issue, the engineering group leader decided the best solution would be to bolt the SlipNOT® aluminum plates directly over the existing dangerous aluminum checker plate. The SlipNOT® aluminum plate bolted over the aluminum checker plate easily, creating an instantly safe workspace. Three years after the installation, The Specialized Packing Group is still happy with the performance, noting “SlipNOT® gets wet and still has grip”.
