Products & Systems / QuartzGrip®
Anti-slip ramp surfaces & access routes
Anti-slip GRP
ramp surfaces.
Improve the approach. Connect the whole route.
Plan ramp surface upgrades around the people, levels and conditions at your site. Coordinate grip, drainage and transitions with the wider access design.
Surface upgrade or new access arrangement?
Identify what needs
to change.
Establish whether the existing ramp is suitable and needs a surface treatment, or whether its structure and geometry also require work.
Upgrade an existing surface
Inspect the substrate, levels and route condition. Review a gritted GRP overlay with the appropriate preparation, fixing and edge details.
Explore gritted sheets →Develop a complete ramp
Coordinate rise, available length, landings, structural supports, guarding and approach areas. Include the surface selection within that design.
Explore engineered access systems →A surface treatment cannot correct an unsuitable gradient, inadequate landing or unsound supporting structure. Define the complete access requirement before choosing materials.
Design around the users
Make the approach
work from end to end.
Consider the journey from the surrounding route to the destination. Record who uses it, what they carry or push, and how doors, corners and level changes affect movement.
Rise & available length
Measure the difference in level and available space. The responsible designer should resolve gradient and landing arrangements against the applicable requirements.
Clear widths & manoeuvring
Include handrail projections, passing needs, turning and door operation. Account for expected mobility aids, trolleys and other users.
Landings & thresholds
Coordinate level resting and approach areas with doors and adjacent surfaces. Resolve local changes in level and drainage at the transition.
Handrails & edge protection
Define the required support and protection around the route. Review geometry, continuity, guarding loads and the supporting connections.
Steps & alternative access
Consider the complete entrance strategy. Different users may need different approaches; coordinate adjacent steps and the ramp rather than treating one in isolation.
For building work in England, review the applicable Approved Document M guidance; Volume 2 addresses buildings other than dwellings. Confirm the requirements for the project location and use with the responsible designer.
Grip, water & wear
Select the surface
for the setting.
Assess the route when it is wet or contaminated as well as when it is clean and dry. The surface, joints and drainage need a coordinated detail.
Surface evidence
Request relevant test information for the exact finish. Consider the ramp gradient, footwear, wheel use and expected contamination when interpreting it.
Read HSE slip-resistance guidance →Drainage & transitions
Identify runoff, ponding and where water reaches the approach. Keep outlets open and resolve sheet edges, joints and the transition to surrounding surfaces.
Review overlay edge details →Substrate preparation
Inspect timber, concrete or steel and repair defects. Agree the preparation and fixing system for moisture, coatings and substrate condition.
Visual clarity
Review lighting and the relationship between the surface, edges and adjacent areas. Confirm measured contrast where it forms part of the design requirement.
Cleaning & inspection
Plan removal of leaves, algae and other contamination. Inspect lifting edges, loose fixings, wear and drainage as part of the route’s maintenance.
BS EN 16165:2021 covers methods of evaluating pedestrian surface slip resistance. A product label alone does not establish suitability for the whole ramp.
Build around the site constraints
Plan the work.
Keep access coordinated.
Agree how the route is surveyed, prepared and brought into use. Occupied sites need a clear plan for the people using the entrance during the work.
Survey & information
Record levels, dimensions, substrate and drainage. Include doors, services, boundaries and constraints around the proposed route.
Installation planning
Resolve working access, deliveries and any temporary alternative route. Coordinate curing and inspection before reopening.
Handover
Provide the accepted arrangement, product details and care information. Make inspection and any operating restrictions understandable to the receiving team.
Prepare an access-route review
Bring the levels
and the user needs.
Send photographs, a measured sketch and the purpose of the route. Identify the existing surface, total rise, available space and any access concerns.
Define the ramp installation package
State whether the enquiry is for resurfacing an existing ramp or a new fabricated access arrangement. Identify who is responsible for substrate repairs, structure, handrails, thresholds and drainage. Include working hours, an alternative entrance during the works and the required reopening date so the installation scope can be agreed.
Discuss the work with Vital’s directly employed installation teams →QuartzGrip® systems
Coordinate ramp, floor and stair surface treatments.
Explore →Design & BIM
Resolve levels, structure and the surrounding interfaces.
Explore →Technical consultation
Discuss the requirement, samples and supporting information.
Explore →
Record the whole access arrangement.
Keep drawings, surface details and maintenance instructions with the relevant assurance information.
Questions about ramp surfaces.
Can an anti-slip sheet make our ramp compliant?
Surface treatment is one part of the design. Geometry, landings, thresholds, handrails, drainage and user requirements also need assessment against the applicable guidance.
Can Vital review an existing ramp?
Send photographs and measured information, including levels and the intended use. The existing condition and scope of any survey can then be discussed.
What if the ramp is timber?
Inspect and repair the timber and supports first. Confirm the surface fixing detail and allow for the existing deck arrangement and drainage.
Should the same surface continue onto the landing?
Review continuity with the overall access design, doors and drainage. Set out joints and transitions deliberately rather than treating the slope alone.
Do we need to close the route during installation?
Agree the site method, temporary access and reopening requirements. Preparation, adhesive curing and inspection may affect when the route can be used.
Improve the access route.
Start with the site.
Share the levels, photographs and user requirements. Ask Vital to review the surface and the wider access arrangement.