What is the Best Anti-Slip Tape for My Application?

From commercial to residential, or even water-worthy, having the correct anti-slip adhesives or treads are extremely important in preventing slip and fall accidents and ensuring the safety of everyone. But with so many choices on the market today, choosing the best type of non-slip flooring product for your application can be confusing. You need to consider several different factors when it comes to choosing your anti-slip flooring solution and, in some cases, you still might find with all the choices out there, you need a customized solution. We are reviewing top application locations, various products and discussing what to look for when choosing your anti-slip tape, tread or adhesive to allow you to navigate all the choices and choose the best one for your needs.
What type of anti-slip material is best for you?

There are three main types of materials that are used to make non-slip products. Depending on the type of activity, location and traffic that space sees, it will help decide what type of material is best suited for your application.

1.   Grit: The word describes exactly what it does. If you need to have a need for high slip-resistance, such as heavy-duty machinery or a military-grade application, then you will want to look at non-slip product made of grit material. Grit tapes and treads are excellent for commercial applications and can be used indoors and outdoors.  

2.   Resilient Vinyl: With a rubberized feel, this textured PVC tape or tread is an excellent choice when you need something strong enough for work shoes, but comfortable enough for bare feet to walk on it. 

3.   Embossed Vinyl: Most commonly seen in bathtub and shower mats, vinyl non-slip products are embossed PVC and non-abrasive. They are designed for both indoor, wet and dry applications and comfortable for bare feet.

Where is your anti-slip application location?

Ladders or Scaffolds: Ladders and scaffolding are two of the top places people are at risk for a slip and fall accident, so it is important to make sure you have the correct anti-slip tread and tape in place whether it is being used for work or at home. Consider if you need to meet specific OSHA requirements, need a mop-friendly tape, will be using the ladder inside or outside, if it will be hit with mud, oil or other product, or even if you will be using it in the dark. From there, you will be able to narrow down your exact product to best suit your application needs.

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Farm Machinery or Construction Equipment: These types of applications require anti-slip tapes and treads that will stand up to both wet and dry environments, along with meeting OSHA standards to provide a durable, consistent, anti-slip surface. You’ll want to ensure your product’s adhesive system is able to aggressively bond and is extremely durable in order to prevent slip and fall accidents on the floors, stairs or ramps - even when hit with oil, diesel fuel or mud.

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Forklifts, Aerial Lifts and Cold Storage Centers: Similar to other machinery and equipment, you will want something that meets OSHA standards and is designed for heavier traffic and tougher environments. You might even need to consider a product that can easily conform to irregular surfaces like ladder stairs or deeply textured surfaces and has the ability to be stability in both high and low temperature ranges.

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Recreational Vehicles, Snowmobiles, ATVs, Garden Tractors & Lawn Mowers: With these applications you might be looking for an anti-slip tape that is safe for the active movement taking place, certified “High Traction” by the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) or potentially want to consider having a product that is mop-friendly for easy cleaning.

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Factory Floors, Machine Shops, Auto Service Areas, Garages: Potentially being hit with oil, grease, mud or other liquids, these floors and stairs need to be protected with some of the most heavy-duty anti-slip tapes. You’ll want to look for an anti-slip tape that delivers a consistent and long lasting “high-slip resistance” performance under tough conditions in order to ensure it bonds and is durable when you need it the most. In some cases, you will also need tape with caution messaging (such as: Caution, Slippery When Wet, Do Not Enter, Fire Exit, etc.) to provide additional protection from an accident that also meets OSHA guidelines for caution messaging in the workplace.

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Steps, Stairs & Platforms: When it comes to these types of applications, you will want to make sure you choose an adhesive system that will bond to the step and is very durable. Consider if the steps or platform is located inside or outside, what types (if any) of liquids will be present, the amount of traffic and location of steps. Depending on where the steps are located, you might need to consider having hazard striped message treads to meet certain OSHA requirements. 

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Water Skis, Surfboards, Jet Boards, Boat Skis, Swimming Pools, Pool Accessories & Diving Boards: Anything water related you will want to make sure to have a least a medium grade Resilient product. You might consider a heavy-duty grade to compensate for heavy foot traffic or tougher environments. Resilient products ensure comfort for bare feet, but also are designed for heavy shoe traffic.

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Bathrooms, Bathtubs & Showers: When comfort on bare feet is as essential to preventing slip and fall accidents, you will want to look at Resilient products for these applications. Resilient anti-slip tape or treads works great in water conditions and on bare feet. Keep in mind that you will also want a  product that is mop-friendly for easy cleaning and potentially designed for shoe traffic depending on the location.

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Food Service Areas, Restaurants & Kitchens: With a constant barrage of liquids being spilled on the floor and lots of hustle and bustle, kitchens are some of the biggest culprits for slip and fall accidents. You will want to make sure you choose an anti-slip product that offers excellent protection against liquids, heavy foot traffic and is also mop-friendly for easy cleaning. Depending on if this is for commercial use, you will want a product that also meets certain OSHA requirements to protect your employees.

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Fitness Rooms, Exercise Equipment & Gyms: Fitness areas generally need to have a non-slip tape or tread that is foot-friendly and meant for indoor applications. Again, depending on the location you might need to consider a gritter grade anti-slip product if you will be outdoors or for high impact exercise equipment. You will also want something that can easily be cleaned and offers an industrial type application.

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Egress Requirements, Fire Exit Safety & Night or Dark: When it comes to meeting egress code requirements or providing visibility to surroundings in dark situations, it is important to have a non-slip egress tape or tread that glows to show the way out or around. Having a photoluminescent grit tape that can be used to mark stairs and corridors is extremely helpful to prevent slip and falls accidents. You might need to also make sure your product meets certain standards such as ASTM and NYC (MEA #235-05-M).

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Military or Extreme Environments: When you are needing an application for decks of vessels that will be constantly hit with salt water or other liquids and temperature fluctuations, airplane cargo holds or trains, you will want a product that exceeds MIL-PRF-24667C Type XI and is engineered to perform in extreme environments.

Consider: Safety Track® Military Grade 3810/3820 Series.

Choosing the correct type of non-slip flooring product is an important factor when it comes to the safety of  everyone. Make sure to review all the different factors when it comes to choosing your non-slip flooring solution. In 2017 alone a reported 227,760 non-fatal injury cases were reported due to falls, slips and trips in the private industry.  And while nothing can assure you will not slip and fall, choosing a non-slip flooring product can help minimize the risk. From consumer applications to the decks of warships, all types of locations require non-slip films to prevent slip and fall accidents. Make sure you choose the best type of product for your application or work with a Jessup Manufacturing representative to custom make a product based on your requirements. Our engineers can recommend the right product to work for your specific environment and usage.