Slip-Resistance Stair Treads for Workplaces, Shops & Warehouses

Reducing the risk of slips and falls is essential in public areas, workplaces, offices, warehouses and factories. High slip areas are a common health and safety risk which is regularly flagged by auditors. Outdoor staircases, pedestrian walkways, decking and factory steps and floors are commonly known for becoming slip hazards. 

Slip-resistant stair treads and nosing are a common solution for those seeking to adhere to health and safety requirements whilst ensuring they are compliant with UK building regulations, including Part M and Part K. 

For employers, the Health and Safety Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999 and Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 all require employers to take steps to ensure the safety of employees in the workplace. 

The Equality Act 2010, which some refer to as the DDA requirements for stair treads due to the previous name, requires stair treads to be highly visibile and offer a low profile to ensure accessibility to all. 

Anti-slip stair treads play a crucial role in enhancing safety and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. They are especially important in areas prone to moisture, such as outdoor steps exposed to rain, and indoor environments like pubs, restaurants, and factories where spills are common. By providing extra grip, these treads help reduce the risk of slips and falls in both public and workplace settings.

In the UK, employers and builder owners must reduce the risk of trips, slips, and falls at work. Installaing anti-slip stair treads and nosing is one way to do this. 

When installing anti-slip treads and nosing, companies should refer to Part M and Part K of the Building Regulations. These parts explain the requirements for treads and nosing on stairs. It is important to manage health and safety while following these regulations. BS 8300-2:2018 focuses on designing buildings that are accessible and inclusive. It also stresses the need for low-profile slip-resistant nosing to help reduce trip hazards. 

Installing contrasting stair nosing also ensures the steps are highly visible to users, especially those with poor eyesight, in turn reducing trip hazards further. The treads can also assist to protect the steps from damage, in turn increasing the life span of the steps and reducing maintenance requirements. 

For flat areas that can get slippery, like wooden decks, walkways, and gangways, we suggest our anti-slip strips or anti-slip discs. 

Part M and Part K Building Regulations cover the requirements of stair treads and nosing in domestic and commercial properties. We recommend you refer to the regulations prior to installing stair treads and nosing as the regulations vary depending on whether you are installing these in a home, business or public area.

Key takeaways from Part M Regulations:

• All nosing should be clearly visible through contrasting material. Light Reflectance Value (LRV) between two surfaces should be greater than 30 points 
• Nosing should be highlighted to ensure users can clearly see where to place their feet and avoid open rises 
• Nosing should be 55mm wide on both the tread and the riser 

The Part M regulations also refers to BS 8300 Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people. This is a code of practice which provides guidance on good practice in buildings. The codes of practice recommend using nosing of contrasting colours.   

Key takeaways from Part K Regulations: 

• For common access areas in buildings that contain flats:
  •  The nosing should be 50mm - 65mm wide on the tread and 30mm - 55mm wide on the riser
• For buildings other than dwellings: 
  • For buildings, other than dwellings (residential homes), nosing should be apparent and contrast visually. For instance, if you have a black step the nosing could be yellow to be contrasting visually
  • For buildings that are not dwellings, the nosing should be at least 55mm wide on the stair tread and riser 

In public and commercial spaces where stairs are likely to become wet or slippery, it's strongly recommended to install anti-slip surfaces on both the treads and nosings.
To improve visibility and reduce the risk of trips, the nosing should be in a contrasting colour to the step—for example, using yellow nosing on black stairs.

For non-residential buildings, compliance with Building Regulations Part M and Part K requires that stair nosings be at least 55mm wide across both the tread and riser, and clearly distinguishable from the rest of the step.

If you simply require anti-slip nosing, we offer grey, black or yellow nosing which is 55mm x 55mm, in line with requirements. This is available in various lengths to meet your step width. 

If you need anti-slip step tread covers with nosing, we recommend our contrasting anti-slip stair treads. These are especially beneficial in areas which can become slippery. The main tread is black whilst the 55mm high nosing is yellow to provide a contrasting design, as required by regulations.

We recommend assessing the types of liquids the stair treads will be exposed to and selecting anti-slip products that are appropriate for those conditions. For example, our range of anti-slip treads and nosings is designed to resist weathering, chemicals, and UV exposure. Frequently used in the food industry, these products also comply with USDA requirements for incidental food contact and meet FDA CFR 21.175.300 standards for food safety.

 All of The Ramp People's stair treads and nosing solutions offer an extremely low profile (1 - 1.5mm thick steel) to reduce the risk of trip hazards.

Anti-slip stair treads and nosing are manufactured from a range of materials including wood, rubber, GRP, aluminium and stainless steel. The best option depends on your requirements such as the location where the tread will be installed and how many people will be passing over the treads. 

• GRP stair treads - Durable, weather-resistant design 
• Aluminium stair treads - Strong and lightweight, easy to clean 
• PVC - Often a cheaper solution, recommended for only light to medium pedestrian traffic 
• Steel - High capacity, suitable for high pedestrian areas and industrial settings 
• Anti-slip tape - A cost-effective option for homes and light pedestrian traffic however it often needs replacing more often 
• Wood - Asthetic appeal in homes and low traffic areas 

At The Ramp People, we offer the stainless steel solution with a grit surface. We find this the preferable choice as the extremely low profile assists in reducing trip hazards, especially for those with limited mobility. The durable steel design is long-lasting and effective in commercial settings and high pedestrian traffic areas.  

Anti-slip stair tread covers, anti-slip strips and nosing covers are designed to be installed on existing stair treads. Installation varies depending on the supplier. Some treads need to be cut to size, drilled and then secured into place whilst others are stuck in place using an adhesive. 

The Ramp Factory's covers are provided with pre-drilled fixing points for ease of installation. Installation varies depending on whether you are assembling these onto a metal, wooden or concrete staircase. Please view our installation guide for full instructions. 

 The Ramp Factory's stair treads require virtually no maintenance; you only need to clean it. You can clean the anti-slip treads using a hose and general detergents. Simply wash off the detergents afterwards with water. Excess dirt can be removed using a hard broom. 

At The Ramp Factory, our team are available throughout the day to assist with any enquiries. Please call 01372 569051 or email hello@therampfactory.co.uk