Everyone has heard the quote, “A Dog is a Man’s Best Friend”, and every dog owner should want their best friend to be safe and comfortable. Walking a dog is a great way to not only get exercise but to teach dogs about safety and introduce them to different social situations. Whether you are walking a dog in the middle of summer, after a rain shower, or even in the cold weather, you want to make sure that you and your dog are safe when the roads start to get slippery. The Macungie Rd. Bridge in Macungie, PA is an open grate bridge that sees foot traffic as well as vehicular traffic. The open grates make it possible for any type of precipitation landing on the surface to fall to the stream below and not puddle on the bridge itself. Unfortunately, the open grates also made it hard for dogs to comfortably and safely walk on as their paws do not land flat on the surface.

A contractor out of Bethlehem, PA found SLIPNOT Metal Safety Flooring through an internet search and contacted a sales representative looking for a safe and slip resistant solution for foot traffic. They determined that non slip stainless steel perforated plate would be an ideal product for this bridge. SLIPNOT products are customizable and can be created to specifications. Eight pieces of 3/16” x 18” x 72 ¾” stainless perforated plate with ¼” diameter holes were fabricated and then sent back to PA to be installed over the original open grating.

A simple path such as the one installed on the Macungie Rd. Bridge shows just how versatile SLIPNOT products can be. The perforated plate not only provides a solid surface for humans and animals to walk on but also allows water to drain through the surface, similar to the rest of the bridge. The SLIPNOT surface provides a high traction solution in inclement weather and a durability that should last for decades. Dog owners can confidently cross knowing their furry companion’s feet are not slipping in between the open grating bars but instead are landing safely on a slip resistant surface.