In a specification submitted document written by Rudy Powell, the Florida State Specifications Engineer, to Monica Gourdine, the Program Operations Engineer, the material that is specified for sidewalk cover plates is to be replaced.  In the specification it states “Sidewalk cover plates shall be an anti slip steel surface consisting of a random hatch matrix or other suitable pattern.   Do not use diamond plate or surface applied slip resistant tapes, films, non-metallic coatings or other similar materials.  Sidewalk plates shall have a minimum Coefficient of Friction (COF) on the top galvanized surface of 0.8 in dry condition, as determined by ASTM F 1679 or ASTM F 1677 and 0.68 or 0.52 in a wet condition”.

Diamond plate flooring has a coefficient of friction of about half the amount of a random hatch matrix coating applied to a smooth plate.  Smooth plate with a slip resistant coating provides traction in every direction because the shoe meets the whole slip resistant coating.  On diamond plate, the shoe only meets the tops of the diamond imprints.  Diamond plate flooring tends to wear unevenly over time, the uneven surface causing slips and falls.  Although there has not been many tests published to prove it, it is also reported by many resources that diamond plate flooring loses about half of its COF when wet.

In an article by Nelson & Associates, diamond plate is referred to in three different classes.  The first class is diamond plate that has worn uneven and can have no affect on slip resistance or even worse, cause the surface to be more slippery.  There is also a class two that may have moderately sharp edges and class three having very sharp edges that add to its slip resistance.  The article states, “It must be noted, however, that the most slip resistant diamond plate is less slip resistant than most sharp edged metal grating”.  This article proves that diamond plate becomes worn over time and can actually cause slips and falls.  It states that diamond plate with sharp edges can contribute to slip resistance but it is inevitable that those sharp edges become worn from pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

SLIPNOT is now offering to coat diamond plate, however, it will not perform as well as SLIPNOT floor plate (smooth plate with the SLIPNOT coating).  SLIPNOT can coat customer supplied diamond plate or provide the diamond plate with the coating already applied.

“Slip and trip type falls” Nelson & Associates.