Climbing on and off vehicles is one of the most common causes of accidents in transport and construction. Steps are wet, dirty or icy, load beds are walked on while work is under way and ramps sit out in the rain. Targeted vehicle anti-slip protection for steps, trailers and load beds – anti-slip tape, coatings and matting – reduces this risk at comparatively low cost and can be retrofitted to almost any existing vehicle.
The critical points on a vehicle
- Cab and body access: steps, running boards and mudguard steps – this is where most falls happen, especially when climbing down.
- Load beds: timber, aluminium, chequer plate and plastic floors quickly become slippery when wet or dusty.
- Ramps and drive-on ramps: sloping surfaces need much higher slip resistance than level ones.
- Roof access and working platforms on silo, tanker and special-purpose vehicles.
- Drawbars, landing legs and control stations on trailers and semi-trailers.
- Swap bodies and containers: door areas, thresholds and interior floors.
Vehicle anti-slip solutions by component
- Self-adhesive anti-slip tape and surfaces: the quickest retrofit for running boards, steps and smaller areas. Supplied as precision-cut custom parts, they fit with no trimming.
- Coarse-grit surfaces for outdoor use: grip even in mud, oil and frost.
- Bolt-down profiles and plates: for areas exposed to heavy mechanical wear and abrasion from cargo.
- Anti-slip coating: seamless, flexible and abrasion-resistant for entire load beds – see coating for chequer and tread plate.
- Anti-slip matting for load securing: increases the coefficient of friction between load and load bed and reduces the number of lashings needed – see heavy-duty anti-slip mats.
- Contrasting edge marking: makes step edges and load bed edges visible even in the dark.
Two different goals: personal safety and load securing
On a vehicle, “anti-slip” covers two different tasks that should not be confused:
- Safe footing for people: the surface must give enough grip for someone in safety footwear to step on it securely – rated to DIN 51130 in classes R9 to R13.
- Load securing: what matters here is the coefficient of friction between load and load bed, which feeds into the calculation of restraint forces under VDI 2700 (German guidelines). Anti-slip mats increase this value significantly.
- The two can be combined, but they call for different materials: the best step surface is not automatically the best base for cargo.
Special demands of vehicle use
- Temperature swings: a surface must adhere from frost through to sun-baked metal.
- Vibration and flexing: vehicles move; rigid surfaces come loose at the edges.
- Pressure washing: edges must not lift during cleaning – edge margins and full-surface bonding are crucial.
- Road salt and grit: put extra strain on abrasion resistance in winter.
- Fuels, oils and cleaning chemicals: call for a chemical-resistant material.
- Weight: on commercial vehicles every kilogram of payload counts – thin surfaces have the edge here.
Standards and guidance (German regulations for reference)
- DIN 51130 – slip resistance classes R9 to R13 for walked-on surfaces.
- DGUV Vorschrift 70 – German accident prevention regulation for vehicles: requirements for safe access and egress.
- ASR A1.5 – German workplace rule on floors; Annex 2 assigns slip resistance classes to work areas (the former DGUV Regel 108-003 has been withdrawn).
- VDI 2700 ff. – German guidelines on load securing on road vehicles, including coefficients of friction.
- DIN EN 12195-1 – calculation of lashing forces.
- ASR A1.5 – also covers loading and ramp areas on company premises.
Retrofitting in practice
- Prepare the vehicle somewhere dry and at a moderate temperature – retrofitting in the rain is guaranteed to fail.
- Clean and degrease step surfaces thoroughly; remove old surfaces and adhesive residues completely.
- Have parts precision-cut or mark them out accurately, and round off the corners.
- Bond over the full surface and press down firmly, taking particular care at the edges.
- Allow the full curing time before the first journey and the first wash.
- Check the condition of the surfaces as part of routine vehicle inspections.
Summary
Well-planned vehicle anti-slip protection works exactly where most injuries in transport operations occur: climbing on and off and stepping onto the load bed. It is important to treat safe footing and load securing separately and to choose materials that can withstand vibration, pressure washing and winter use. Retrofitting is possible on almost any vehicle – usually within a few hours.
Recommended products
A selection from our range. We’re happy to provide sizes, versions, prices and lead times on request.
Anti-slip mat Exact for industry and transport
Item no. DD-AK-EXACT-SCHWARZ
Universal anti-slip mat with a close-meshed grid fabric (approx. 0.5 × 0.5 cm) for trades, industry, transport and retail. Holds its shape, hard-wearing, approx. 2.5 mm thick and washable at 60 °C. No grip when wet.
- Tested by TÜV SÜD
- Roll 30 m × 120 cm
- Mats 40 × 120 cm (pack of 40) and 90 × 120 cm (pack of 16)
Anti-slip mat Car, solid
Item no. DD-AK-CAR-VOLLFLAECHIG
Black anti-slip mat with an anti-slip coating on both sides that keeps loads in place in the car boot, caravan or workshop. Holds its shape, approx. 2.5 mm thick, washable at 60 °C. No grip when wet.
- Tested by TÜV SÜD; fire and fogging behaviour tested to DIN 75200 / 75201
- Roll 30 m × 120 cm
- Mat 90 × 120 cm (pack of 12)
Coarse anti-slip tape, black/yellow
Item no. DD-GRP-3000087-BY
Coarse-grit anti-slip tape for heavily used steps, platforms and surfaces. The black and yellow version doubles as hazard marking.
- Rolls 25/50/100 mm x 18 m
- Can be cut to size
- Non-conductive
Conformable anti-slip tape
Item no. DD-GRP-3000025-YE
Conformable anti-slip tape for uneven surfaces such as chequer plate. Suitable for sheet metal, profiles and other uneven substrates.
- For uneven substrates, e.g. chequer plate
- Conforms to profiles and edges
- Rolls 25/50/100 mm x 18 m
Anti-slip deck covering
Item no. DD-AK-DECKSBELAG
Dimensionally stable, tear- and abrasion-resistant covering for ship decks, workshops and exhibition floors. UV- and ozone-resistant, weatherproof and pleasantly soft underfoot.
- Reaction to fire class Bfl-s1
- UV- and ozone-resistant
- 15 m x 120 cm roll
Suitable safety footwear
For loading and unloading, tail lifts and climbing onto vehicles: S3 models with ladder grip zone, scuff cap and oil/fuel-resistant sole (FO).
Safety shoe K-HURRY (S3L)
item no. DD-BS-CA-B1041-1WC
- Protection class: S3L HRO FO SR
- Sole: Adaptive dual-layer PU/HRO rubber sole
- Sizes: 36-48
Safety shoe JETTY (S3S)
item no. DD-BS-CA-B0866-0WB
- Protection class: S3S CI LG SC FO SR
- Sole: Lightweight outdoor sole (4×4)
- Sizes: 36-50
Safety shoe CHESTER TOP (S3S)
item no. DD-BS-CA-B0177-0WA
- Protection class: S3S LG FO SR
- Sole: Treaded PU sole
- Sizes: 36-49
FAQs: vehicle anti-slip for load beds and steps
What is the difference between safe footing and load securing?
Safe footing protects people climbing on and off. Load securing stops cargo from shifting. The two goals need different products and different test parameters.
Do adhesive anti-slip surfaces on vehicles survive pressure washing?
Yes, properly bonded surfaces designed for the purpose are robust enough for pressure washing. Keep the nozzle away from the edges and check them regularly.
Can a whole fleet be fitted out consistently?
Yes, with made-to-measure pieces every vehicle gets the same specification. That simplifies fitting and reordering.
Related solutions and sectors
- Making loading docks non-slip
- Anti-slip solutions for warehousing and logistics
- Slip protection for construction vehicles and sites
- Anti-slip mats for load securing
- Truck roof de-icing system
- Cut-to-size anti-slip underlay material
Make vehicles and load beds safe
We match the surface, slip resistance and fixing method to your fleet – from a single trailer to every vehicle you run.
- Free expert advice – assessment of the critical points on your vehicles
- Precision-cut parts – pieces for running boards, steps and entry points
- Consistent across the fleet – the same specification on every vehicle, reorderable at any time
- Load securing included – anti-slip mats for higher coefficients of friction
Get in touch now – we’ll make your vehicles and load beds safe underfoot.