Non Slip Stair Treads Provide Traction on Previously Smooth Metal Stairs

THE SITUATION

The Irish Glass Bottle Company was founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1932. By 2017, the company had changed its name to Ardagh Group, acquired several other glass and metal packaging companies, and gone public. Currently, the company is "a global leader in glass and metal packaging solutions for the world's biggest consumer brands," operating seventy-four metal and thirty-four glass manufacturing facilities in twenty-two countries. Ardagh Group provides packaging for a variety of different market sectors, including beverage, food, pet food, and seafood.

 

One of Ardagh Group's glass manufacturing facilities was experiencing issues with smooth metal steps creating a slip hazard. The facility had previously attempted to correct the problem with no-slip tape, but it was not proving to be an adequate long-term solution. The company looked for a different solution and decided to work with SlipNOT® to improve worker safety.

 

THE SOLUTION

After reviewing specifications, SlipNOT® supplied Ardagh Group with (33) various sized 3/16" steel stair treads with a 1 3/4" nosing. To provide the necessary slip resistance to keep employees on their feet, SlipNOT® Grade 2 steel was applied to the treads before being painted black and shipped to Ardagh Group for installation. The Grade 2 steel coating exceeds all standards and recommended guidelines for slip resistance, maintaining a 0.8 coefficient of friction even when wet. It is also registered as slip resistant with Underwriters Laboratories per UL 410 and has been evaluated at almost double UL's requirements for slip resistant materials.

 

THE IMPACT

Once Ardagh Group received its custom slip resistant stair treads, they were retrofitted over the existing stairs. An employee at the facility involved in the process of ordering the SlipNOT® stair treads said, "This is a much better solution and has [been] met with great approval by the employees." The employees have been so satisfied with the stair treads that the company has continued to install SlipNOT® throughout that facility and others around the country.