When selecting materials for a transit vehicle, you must take into consideration fire safety and slip and falls, which are major issues. The occurrence and effects of these accidents may be minimized if you select the appropriate materials.
Choosing products that decrease flammability, smoke and toxic fume emission will allow employees and passengers more time to exit the vehicle, in case of an emergency. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) states that metallic materials should not be used. They did not address toxicity, but by decreasing flammability and smoke, then toxic gases will be minimized. In additional to fire safety, floor and stair tread coverings are also a concern. Inspections of the flooring and steps should be included in the daily check of the vehicle, including debris, tears in the floor, worn areas and moisture. This will help reduce passenger injuries.
Linoleum or indoor/outdoor carpeting may be a hazard when wet and passengers who have assistive devices such as canes or crutches may trip over them. An all metal non-slip smooth surface would be the best option for transit vehicles on the inside and outdoor steps, especially since it has a high coefficient of friction, providing full surface traction. A non-slip stair tread such as aluminum may serve as a great replacement or may retrofit over any existing slick stair tread.
SLIPNOT provided ElDorado National, one of the largest producers of commercial buses, with painted safety yellow and gray aluminum non-slip stair treads. The stair treads not only provided slip resistance, but also made passengers aware of the stair treads leading edge. There are many slip resistant solutions, but SLIPNOT’s durability and longevity is worth looking in to. By implementing an accident prevention program, you will decrease urban, rural and specialized transit system accidents and injuries.