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.