Qualities of a stainless ladder that make it so versatile are:

• Corrosion resistant
• Bacteria resistant
• Environmental friendly
• Completely hygienic and will not rust
• Ability to retain properties even in hostile environments
• Aesthetically pleasing

When considering a stainless ladder for your application, keep safety in mind.  Ladders; whether a stainless ladder or a wood ladder, need to be taken seriously.  Whether taking the time to ensure proper footing when climbing or placing the ladder in a secure place, safety and consciousness need to be at its peak.  Ladders create about a half million accidents a year resulting in approximately 300 deaths a year alone in the United States.

A stainless steel ladder provides safety in aspect of maintaining its physical properties and qualities, but cannot provide a secure footing if exposed to any moisture.  Retrofit options are readily available to ensure safety and longevity.  SlipNOT^® Metal Safety Flooring manufactures a stainless steel ladder rung cover that can be retrofitted over the existing ladder rung by simply welding in place. 

No matter the solution, safety is critical for any of the versatile applications that a stainless ladder can be used for.

Steel stairs have so many qualities that make them ideal for any application.  Steel stairs can be supplied in any form of the substrate ranging from grating and solid plate to perforated plate and expanded metal.  Steel stairs can be custom fabricated with nosings only, nosings and risers or formed to a channel to fit any stair application.

Steel stairs can be used to retrofit over existing stairs or incorporated into newly constructed projects and renovations.  Steel stairs can be either hot dipped galvanized or cold galvanized to prevent corrosion and rust.  Galvanized steel stairs are ideal for exterior stairways or applications that are exposed to extreme amounts of slippery substances that can lead to corrosion and deterioration.

Steel stairs can also be painted to meet customized requirements of projects.

Steel stairs are completely customizable to meet specific needs; they can also be supplied with an all metal slip resistant coating that will not wear or flake over time. The combination of the recycled steel stairs with the all metal slip resistant coating will ensure durability, safety and an overall safer environment for all pedestrians, employees and residents utilizing the steel stairs.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel Retrieved 3/29/10.

Aluminum Checker Plate Ramp with SlipNOT^® Steel Surface Painted Grey

SlipNOT^® was recently contacted by the owner of Fabrications Unlimited Inc. to find a durable, safe and slip resistant solution for his customer.  His customer had loading ramps originally made of checkered plates that were slick.  The ramps were going to be used for produce terminals on Fort Street in Detroit, MI. The customer was not completely confident in the slip resistance of the checkered plates, they wanted to ensure slip resistance by adding SlipNOT^®.

Generally, SlipNOT^® prefers not to coat checkered plates, but coats smooth plate instead.  Checkered plate’s uneven surface can compromise slip resistance due to the shoe to surface contact ratio, considering the checkered plates only provide slip resistant surface on the raised portion of the checker pattern.  When SlipNOT^® coats smooth plate, it creates an even, unsurpassed 100% slip resistant surface that generates traction in every direction.

SlipNOT^® coated the slippery aluminum checkered plates with the SlipNOT^® steel surface and then painted them grey in order to meet the needs of the customer.  The customer supplied ramps were made of aluminum so they would be easily maneuverable and lightweight.  The SlipNOT^® surface will continually provide safety for workers and create a durable, slip resistant means of transportation.  The SlipNOT^® surface provides 100% non-slip surface coverage, unlike checkered plates.

Common applications include:

• Worker platforms
• Drain covers
• Trench covers
• Walkways
• Stair treads
• Mezzanines / catwalks

Perforated stainless is used for many projects, from industrial to commercial.  Stainless perforated plate is used in parks, food processing facilities, beverage plants, theme parks, stadiums and many others.

According to The Free Dictionary.com, perforated means:  
1. Pierced with one or more holes
2. (Non-sporting Hobbies / Philately) (esp. of stamps) having perforations

Perforated, if applied to a metal plate, allows the ability for drainage of elements such as grease and oil.  This helps eliminate buildups of slippery substances for workers

What is Stainless Steel? 

According to Wikipedia, stainless steel means:  A steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass.  Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel (it stains less, but it is not stain-proof).  It is also called corrosion-resistant steel or CRES when the alloy type and grade are not detailed, particularly in the aviation industry.

If perforated is combined with stainless steel making perforated stainless steel,  then food industries and commercial applications have exactly what they are looking for.  Perforated stainless steel not only provides drainage, but can be steam cleaned, sterilized, and does not need painting or application of other surface finishes.

The listed qualities of the perforated stainless do not provide an essential slip resistant surface.  This is where SlipNOT^® Metal Safety Flooring comes into play.

What is SlipNOT^®?

SlipNOT^® is a leading manufacturer of an all-metal file hard slip resistant coating that is applied to metal substrates such as steel, stainless steel and aluminum. 

SlipNOT^® applies the unsurpassed stainless steel slip resistant coating to perforated stainless steel plates, which instantly transforms into a permanently safe solution for any food processing facilities or areas where perforated stainless steel is required.

Perforated.  http://www.merriam-webster.com/.  Retrieved January 12,2010.

Stainless Steel.  Wikipedia, the free dictionary.  Retrieved January 12, 2010.

• Are you looking for something permanent or a quick fix?
  • While taped on or painted on products seem to be a quick and a inexpensive way to renovate your stairs, consider the facts.  Taped on and painted on products can require a lot of maintenance and may not last long. 

SlipNOT^® stair treads can be installed just as quickly, with little down time and little to no maintenance.

• Will a surface with extrusions cause more trips or prevent more slips?
  • Many new safety stair tread products available consist of a surface that is serrated, dimpled, or with extrusions.  These extrusions are meant to prevent slips.  However, surfaces with these extrusions may prevent slips but can cause trips due to an uneven surface.  An uneven surface can also prevent certain machinery and wheeled traffic from traveling smoothly.

 SlipNOT^®’s advanced state of the art technology applies the patented slip resistant coating to smooth plate and smooth bar grating, for 100 % surface coverage and an even working surface. 

• Does this company have references?
  • Do the research.  Many companies claim to have a slip resistant product that is tried and true but do not meet expectations once installed.  Ask the company for references and case studies where the product has been used in similar industries or in a similar application. 

SlipNOT^® posts case studies weekly and provides references to its customers for feedback and information on how the products performed.

These are just a couple of questions to ask yourself when looking for safety stair treads.  It is important to read and research a product thoroughly before going with a traditional product that may have a low coefficient of friction when wet or settling for a temporary fix that will cost more down the road in maintenance.  Find out the coefficient of friction for safety stair treads and the surface hardness, as well as the bond strength.  Also, get a sample of the safety stair tread.  If possible, request a larger sample to install and test first.

For example:

1.)   Aluminum Safety Grating

• Great for applications that require a lightweight grating that is easily maneuverable.
• Also great for marine applications such as floating docks and bridges.

2.)   Steel Safety Grating

• Works well in industrial applications where there is heavy traffic and oil, such as steel mills near conveyor lines, in between machinery, over trenches, platforms and catwalks, among others.
• Also great for road construction applications such as bridges and hatch covers.

3.)   Stainless Steel Safety Grating

• Top choice for the food and beverage industry due to corrosion and chemical resistance.
• Also great for commercial use due to the aesthetically pleasing appearance, for flooring, drains, mezzanines, and others.

4.)   Galvanized Steel Safety Grating

• Most often used for outdoor applications, keeping the steel protected from harsh elements.
• Used for pedestrian walkways, fire escapes, ramps, stair treads and many others.

These are just examples of where and why certain safety gratings can be used, each project is unique and varies.  For example, some bridges are made of galvanized steel to protect the steel from harsh weather while others are made of aluminum due to the lightweight properties of the alloy.  For projects that may need the lightweight nature of aluminum but the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, SlipNOT^® offers a slip resistant stainless on aluminum safety grating.  Also, for applications that require lightweight aluminum but the durability of steel, SlipNOT^® offers a 100% non-slip steel surface for aluminum safety grating.  No matter what the project or application may be, SlipNOT^® has a solution.

Many preventative measures can be taken to dramatically decrease the amount of injuries that occur from ladders.  Rungs are an integral component of the ladder that needs to be addressed.  Whether the rungs are composed of metal, aluminum or other similar material, safety is essential.

Rungs become slippery when wet, worn or untreated.  Rungs can also be installed improperly or come loose, causing an unsafe climbing surface.  Rungs can also become cracked, split or dented.  These factors can easily cause injuries.

SlipNOT^® Metal Safety Flooring manufactures retrofit solutions that correct and prevent ladder injuries.  A simple retrofit solution for damaged rungs are rung covers manufactured with an all metal, file hard, patented slip resistant surface.  The rung covers simply fit over the existing rungs and instantly transform an unsafe ladder into a safe ladder.  SlipNOT^® also manufactures rungs that can be integrated into newly constructed ladders.  The rungs and rung covers can be easily installed by welding in place. 

Any way you look at it, whether constructing a new ladder or retrofitting an existing slippery ladder, SlipNOT^® provides an ideal solution to help eliminate emergency room injuries.

CPSC Offers Safety Tips to Prevent Ladder Injuries. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/ladder.html

Unpunched Plank Grating:

As an alternative to plate, unpunched plank grating provides the solid surface of plate with lightweight properties.  SlipNOT^® solid plank grating is toxic fume free and fire proof, in contrast to fiberglass.  SlipNOT^® non-slip solid plank grating is easy to install and the flush top walking surface allows for maximum foot contact and comfort.  Often, wastewater treatment plants use grating with a plate over it to utilize grating for strength and plate to reduce odor, unpunched plank grating is a perfect alternative for applications such as these.

Punched Plank Grating:

Punched plank grating permits light, heat, moisture and air to flow through easily while still providing a lightweight option to bar grating.  Punched plank grating also allows small debris such as snow, grease or dirt to fall through, while preventing larger objects from falling through.  SlipNOT^® punched plank grating is slip resistant in every direction and rugged.

ADA Compliant Punched Plank Grating:

Punched plank grating is available in various diagonal patterns that meet the ADA standards for wheelchair accessibility and high heel foot traffic.