In many industries, a commonly used piece of equipment that can be easily overlooked when it comes to safety is the ladder.  Ladders are used to reach high places in order to perform a variety of tasks, whether on roofs or high shelving units.  According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), all ladders are subject to specific guidelines to ensure a safe climbing surface for the user.  Of these rules, OSHA states that users “not use ladders on slippery surfaces unless secured or provided slip resistant feet to prevent accidental movement.”  Ladders used in commercial and industrial environments must be used with care to help prevent slip and fall injuries from occurring. 

According to Chris Tomshack, a chiropractor in Knoxville, TN in his article “Slip and Fall Injuries: Chiropractic Treatment Options”, “Falls are one of the leading causes of accidents that cause injury.  With well over 1 million injuries each year in the United States, slip and fall injuries can be caused by a whole host of things including a slick or rough surface, problems with shoes and the mental and/or physical state of the person who took the fall.”

Stainless ladder options are commonly used in environments where elements such as grease, oil and even cleaning solutions are prominent.  Stainless ladders hold up well in environments with strict environmental controls and continuous contact with harsh chemicals.  A stainless ladder can act as a roof access ladder, step ladder or platform ladder, among others.

In order to help prevent slip and fall injuries from occurring on a ladder, a non-slip product can be used on new or existing ladders.  Some commonly used safety options for stainless ladder rungs include a serrated surface, a grit based product, a taped on surface, a non slip metal surface or even a non-slip rung cover retrofit over an existing rung to help provide a safe climbing surface for users. 

Each of these safety solutions have pros and cons:

•  A serrated stainless ladder provides a highly abrasive slip resistant surface, however the serrated surface may wear creating a safety hazard.  Serrated surfaces can also collect elements from the bottom of shoes, creating a non sterile work environment and may be uncomfortable for bare hands to grip.
•  A grit surface may also be considered slip resistant but it will wear and may flake off after time.  
•  A taped on surface for a stainless ladder is fine for a “quick fix” but must be constantly reapplied.  It is a high maintenance solution and may not provide enough traction in some environments.    
• A permanent metal non-slip coating on a stainless ladder will not flake off and can withstand extreme environments.  The initial investment may be more than the other products, but the product will outlast the other options. 

Not only do each of these products provide different safety solutions for stainless ladders, they also have different coefficient of frictions (COF).  COF is something that should be taken into account when looking for a safe stainless ladder.  The Occupation Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have specific requirements for coefficient of friction (COF )of a non slip-surface.  OSHA requires a 0.50 COF (OSHA standard 1926.1053 (a)(6)(i) and OSHA standard 1910.26 (a)(1)(v)), the ADA requires a 0.60 COF and the NFPA requires a 0.68.  Take into account the degree of traction needed for the environment the stainless ladder will be utilized in.

Stainless ladders are a versital product that can be used in nearly every environment.  Making sure your stainless ladder is safe is something that should be taken seriously before having anyone uses the ladder, especially in a work environment.