Timber specialist Big River Timbers has introduced a new anti-slip
plywood product designed to prevent accidental falls in various work
environments.
Recommended for use across Australia’s construction, hospitality and
healthcare sectors, the new Australian made plywood product features a highly
slip resistant coating to protect against injury on both indoor and outdoor
workplace platforms, ramps, walkways and floors.
Manufactured locally in Grafton, New South Wales, the plywood is specifically
designed for use in construction sites, permanent ramps and flooring in
hospitality kitchens, aged care facilities, hospitals and various medical
environments.
Suitable for both temporary and permanent flooring and ramps, the anti
slip plywood features a textured paint finish with crushed glass for maximum
wear and slip resistance, while the reverse side of the panel has a phenolic
film for moisture protection in damp, wet and external areas.
Tested for slip resistance in both wet and dry situations, Big River’s
anti-slip plywood met the highest slip resistance classification in both wet
and dry tests.
Workplace injury and illness have a high economic impact, according to a
report released by Safe Work Australia; lost productivity is estimated to be
costing AUD $60 billion a year or just under 5% of Gross Domestic Production
(GDP).
In the hospitality sector, especially in kitchens and food preparation
facilities, slips are the most common cause of injury and also the easiest to
prevent, according to WorkSafe Victoria. In the café and restaurant industry,
floors with oil or water spills are the greatest cause of slip, trip and fall
injuries. Anti-slip plywood is ideal for high-risk areas including cool
rooms/freezers, dishwashing areas, cooking areas and doors leading to and from
the kitchen where changes in floor surfaces occur.
Lend Lease, one of the world’s leading project management and
construction companies is using Big River’s anti-slip plywood on the AUD$6
Billion Barangaroo urban transformation project on the western edge of the
Sydney CBD.
Perth based manufacturer of safety products, Grafton General Products has
embraced the anti slip plywood in their products, which are seeing an enthusiastic
uptake by their clients for both commercial and domestic applications. Grafton
General Products supplies wheelchair ramps and various home modification
products to hospitals, the Department of Housing and the Department of Veteran
Affairs. Joe Galipo, Director, Grafton General Products notes that the Big
River plywood has not caused any slippage incident even in wet conditions.
Many workplaces with anti slip requirements have so far been using plywood
materials stress graded to F11 and F14, or paint coating finishes that offer
non-slip properties when applied to walkways and floors but have limited
lifespan.
Anti-slip plywood from Big River has a high strength F17 structural
plywood certification to Australian Standard AS2269 together with the maximum
rating of P5 (V) classification in the slip resistance testing of pedestrian
surfaces in wet conditions and D1 in dry conditions.
Key features of Big River Timbers’ anti-slip plywood include choice of sizes
and thicknesses; custom-made size panels available on request; three standard
colours: safety yellow, black and grey; customised colours available based on
volume; textured paint finish with crushed glass for maximum wear and slip
resistance; phenolic film on reverse side for moisture protection in wet or
damp areas; high strength F17 structural plywood certified to AS2269; maximum
rating of P5 (V) classification in slip resistance testing of pedestrian
surfaces in wet conditions and D1 in dry conditions; pressure cleanable surface;
and Chain of Custody AFS/PEFC certified.
