Walking surfaces account for a significant portion of injuries reported by state agencies. Traction on outdoor surfaces can transform considerably with changing weather conditions. It is important to note that those conditions can then affect indoor surfaces as moisture is tracked in by pedestrian traffic. Many organizations are adding slip, trip, and fall prevention to their safety plan because of the high cause of concern for these types of incidents and their repercussions. It is important to review the manufacturer’s ratings and warnings to ensure that a flooring material is used in a compatible environment. The location of the flooring material and the area of operation should also be considered. For example, the slip-resistant rating and qualities of any material used near entrance/exit doors should be reviewed to ensure it will function with minimal maintenance under wet and snowy conditions while simultaneously maintaining a high coefficient of friction. The Quadrus 9 Office Building in Menlo Park, CA had concerns for slippery conditions on exterior stairs. SLIPNOT galvanized angles were recommended as a nosing to provide slip resistant compliance for this application.

Devcon Construction was awarded this job; they have used SLIPNOT anti skid stair nosings in the past and found its performance to be the superior choice for Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station. They recommended the SLIPNOT surface in a galvanized steel Grade 2; the hot-dipped galvanized finish option was selected to promote longevity by preventing corrosion. Galvanizing is performed in accordance with ASTM A123 or other appropriate specifications. SLIPNOT steel material can be galvanized after additional fabrication or processing. For this instance, SLIPNOT provided eight 2” x 2” x 3/16” x 48-7/16” steel angle nosings with a Grade 2 hot-dip galvanized finish. Detail drawings were provided to pre-fabricate countersunk holes for ease of installation into the existing stair treads upon receipt.

A Project Engineer at Devcon Construction Inc. reported that the nosings were ordered to be installed on the exterior stairs to meet office building’s contrasting slip requirements. The Quadrus 9 Office Building now has safety nosings on the exterior stairs that will not only provide a high coefficient of friction, but also stand up to the corrosive environment created by seasonal weather in a high traffic area. As more companies analyze their safety plans, the need to provide safe entrances, egress stairs, as well as working surfaces will continue to expand; stair nosings are just one example of a retrofit solution over existing slippery walking surfaces.