A Skateboarding Term Has Jumped Over To The Safety Field

Here's a quiz to say you learned something interesting while surfing away today - what do skateboarders and safety managers have in common? Hint: The answer isn't the neon paints that both use - albeit for different purposes! The real answer is that both skaters and safety managers have a knack for finding and dealing with hazards. Whether it is navigating a deck over benches, down stairs and across rails, or on the flip side making sure that people don't fall off a deck, down stairs or across rails!It might not surprise you to learn that many people who engage in riskier sports - such as skateboarding - go on to engage in careers that make the most use of their acquired skills, knowledge and lessons learned the hard way. People who enjoy skateboarding can be found working construction safety, plant safety, and material safety - many jobs which require them to analyze a problem, think back to how they have navigated through such obstacles before, and then use what they know to solve the current situation.Skaters have relied on grip tape for years to help them keep their feet attached to their board when doing their moves and stunts. Skateboarders know the value of a good skateboard grip tape to being a successful and healthy shredder, and they often discover solutions to problems in their workplaces as a result of having to navigate railways, benches, and other such obstacles as skateboarders. They see a problem that needs addressing - and they turn to something they are familiar with to try and solve it.While anti-slip abrasive tape has been available for decades, it is only recently that "grip tape" has come into general usage to specify a product for surface areas where slipping is a hazard. Slipping on wet floors or down stairs are the most common types of actionable accidents in both the workplace and marketplace. Serious injuries can result from an employee or patron taking a tumble, and the responsibilities for paying thousands of dollars in medical bills and possible millions in a lawsuit falls to the business owner. Prevention of such accidents is easy in all cases by simply choosing a product, such as grip tape, to provide the proper balance of friction and invisibility. Grip tapes are easy to apply and meet all health and safety regulations.So you may be asking yourself what is the difference between commercial anti-slip tape and skateboard grip-tape since both are now being referred to as "grip tape"? They are similar in form and function, with a few key differences. Anti-slip tape can usually only be made with silicon carbide, a seemingly expensive element, while grip tape can be produced with a variety of materials including aluminum oxide, a less expensive element that is quality-consistent and more affordable while getting the job done. Secondly, there is a significant difference in size; skateboard grip tape is typically about 9" wide compared to safety tape that is available in a variety of widths ranging from 3/4" to 36". Thirdly, grip tapes have a thin PVC base, while anti-slip tapes will use a thicker PVC base depending on the application. This is good news for business owners and skateboarding safety managers because the tape will cling to the ground without generating another failing hazard because the thickness of the tape.Businesses who want to address the slips, falls, whoops and uh-oh's without breaking the bank may just want to find out what employees pick up a deck after work and find out more about this little miracle product. Maybe it's time to take down the "No Skateboarding" sign in the parking lot and instead put up a "Skaters - Apply Here!" one instead.

Posted in: Skateboarding