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Leading Manufacturer of Anti-Slip Safety Products
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Frequently Asked Questions

Many of the questions that are posed fall into some basic formats. The following answers should assist our customers to better understanding the use of SAFEGUARD® Covers. This section will continue to expand with new answers in the future.

General

Q. Is this a coating that I roll, brush or spray on?
A. No! It is a prefabricated, non-load bearing product ready to be installed over your existing surface. It has been manufactured under controlled conditions, ensuring that the product has a long service life even under the most demanding conditions.

Q. Is the surface, and ability to prevent slips, the same on all types of Cover?
A. Yes. The proprietary SAFEGUARD® surface is applied in all cases. Only the color and Grade (coarseness of grit) vary.

Q. Which material of construction should I use?
A. Steel should be selected for specific applications. For example:

  • A food processor may require stainless steel Covers
  • The customer may choose to install by tack welding
  • The leading edge of a step is chipped or broken away, so that the front of the Cover is unsupported
    In the majority of cases, however, Pultruded FRP (fiberglass) is ideal:
    • Lighter and easier to drill
    • Corrosion resistant and USDA accepted
    • Costs 35 – 50% less than steel, but has similar life expectancy and has same product warranty

Q. Should I completely cover the whole area?
A. Not necessarily. The Cover does not need to extend to the very edge of a walkway or sides of a step. All Step Covers wrap over the leading edge, which is most important. Coverage of a stair tread from the leading edge back depends on the circumstances – environment and type of tread, for example.

Q. What information must I provide when ordering?
A.

  1. Item being ordered - Step Cover, Walkway Cover, Ladder Rung Cover, or Pipe & Cable Cover.
  2. Dimensions of the Cover
  3. Material of construction
  4. Grade
    1. If Hi-Traction, color or colors (if two-tone)
    2. If HiGlo-Traction
      1. 100% photoluminescent, or
      2. position of photoluminescent area and color of remainder
  5. If fasteners are required, indicate the surface over which the Covers will be
    installed
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Step Covers

  1. Do you have standard sizes?
    Yes, as shown here…
    Width of Step: 19-24” 25-30” 31-36” 37-42” 43-48” 49-54”
    Step Cover Length (A): 18” 24” 30” 36” 42” 48”
    Step Cover Depth (B): Each of the above lengths (A) is available in depths (B) of 3, 6, 9, and 12”
    Anti slip stair nosing/stair tread cover sizes
  2. How deep should my step covers be?
    The depth of the tread covered depends on the circumstances. All our step covers wrap over the front edge, thereby covering the stair nosing where most slips occur. However there can be special situations that require extra care. For example…
    • For high heel traffic on grating steps, most or all of the tread must be covered.
    • For frequently wet or oily steps – cover at least 6”
  3. Do you supply non-standard sizes?
    Yes, we can supply any Step Cover with the following limits in length …
    • up to 120” (10 feet) long in FRP, with up to a maximum depth of 12”
    • up to 48” (4 feet) long in steel, with any depth needed
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Walkway Covers

  1. Do you have standard sizes?
    No, we have found a great deal of variation in the dimensions required, and so do not carry standard sizes. All non skid walkway covers are made to order – when ordering, the Width (A) and the Length (B) are required, as shown on the chart below.
    walkway cover sizes
  2. What is the largest size available?
    The largest size for steel WCs is 48” x 48” and for Pultruded FRP is 96” x 48”.
  3. What coverage is appropriate?
    One option is complete coverage. This is especially important where multi-directional traffic occurs, and in work station environments, and is a simpler installation. If traffic is in two directions only, a heel-and-toe pattern will suffice and be more economical. In either case, the result is an anti slip walkway.
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Ladder Rung Covers

  1. Do you have standard sizes?
    Yes, while the steel ladder rung covers (LRC) are made to fit any diameter rung between ¾” and 2”, the fiberglass LRC are pultruded through specific dies and therefore are for certain rung diameters only – see chart below.
      Metal Covers FRP Covers
    Length (A) Up to 48” Up to 48”
    For Rung Diameters (B) Made to fit any rung diameter from ¾” to 2” 3/4”, 1”, 1-1/4"
    1-1/2", 1-3/4", 2"
    Installation Tack weld
    Adhesive
    Mechanical Fastener    		 Adhesive
    Mechanical Fastener
    ladder rung cover sizes
  2. How are they installed?
    All styles of slip resistant LRC may be installed using an adhesive, or by means of a screw into the rung where the rung is suitable for this option. In addition, the metal covers may be installed by tack welding to a metal rung. All styles markedly contribute to ladder safety.
  3. What information do you need when ordering?
    We need to know the length of the Ladder Rung Cover required (A) as shown below, the rung diameter (B), the grade (grit size), color, construction material (stainless steel, galvanized steel, or FRP), and style (channel or half-round).