Revolutionising roof safety: RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products unveils the new slip resistant Walkway and elevates safety standards in roofing industry
RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products introduces the slip resistant Walkway, an innovative and sustainable roofing solution providing a high level of slip resistance for safe roof access and maintenance. This product leverages advanced pool membrane technology, demonstrating RENOLIT's commitment to cross-functional innovation. With its robust design and compatibility with various RENOLIT ALKORPLAN waterproofing membranes, the walkway improves safety for roofing workers by providing secure footing, effectively minimising slip risks even in challenging weather conditions.
Sant Celoni, Barcelona, 19th of February, 2025 - RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products presents the new slip resistant Walkway, a versatile and robust membrane designed to enhance safety by providing a slip-resistant surface. This polyester reinforced flexible PVC roofing membrane features a textured surface, making it ideal for creating slip resistant walkways for roof maintenance and access on new or existing flat and pitched roofs (e.g., roofs with photovoltaic panels, emergency access, …).
Featuring the highest class of slip resistance that can be certified according to DIN EN 16165, Annex B and C, this innovative and versatile product is the result of the experience and know-how of the RENOLIT Group: the membrane is based on technology developed by the pool products division. This cross-functional collaboration ensures that the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN slip resistant Walkway is engineered to withstand diverse environmental conditions while maintaining its slip-resistant properties.
Safety challenges and risks for roof workers: addressing slip, trip, and fall hazards in the construction industry
Workers performing tasks on roofs, whether maintaining existing structures or installing photovoltaic panels, face a multitude of safety challenges primarily due to the inherent risks associated with roofing work. Danger predominantly arises from fall hazards such as unprotected edges, fragile roof surfaces, holes, vents and other penetrations trough which a person could fall and losing grip on pitched roofs.
According to Eurostat data, in 2022 the construction industry in the European Union was identified as having the highest incidence of non-fatal workplace accidents, with 2,961 incidents per 100,000 employed individuals, highlighting a significant safety concern. This sector also recorded the highest number of fatal workplace accidents in absolute terms, with 754 fatalities, making up 22.9% of all workplace deaths across the EU.
These accidents, which often involve small builders in residential projects, highlight a worrying widespread safety issue. Specifically, in the construction sector, slips, trips and falls account for 18% of all non-fatal and 15.6% of all fatal accidents, a significant risk for those working on roofs. In addition, body movements under physical or mental stress contribute to 22.5% of non-fatal and 2.3% of fatal accidents, underlining the need for effective anti-slip solutions to improve the safety of workers at height.
Elevating roof safety standards with RENOLIT ALKORPLAN slip resistant Walkway
Thanks to its experience in the installation and maintenance of roofing membranes, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products realised that the slip resistant technology initially developed for the pool product division could provide an optimal solution to ensure the safety of those working above roofs.
“As we often support our partners in the on-site installation and maintenance of our membranes, we are fully aware of the risks to move and work on a roof”, says Steven Lamon, Technical Assistance Managerof RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products.
“The usual solution is to create a contrasting walkway that protects the waterproofing membrane and that offers a surface with a low slip potential for those who need to go to the roof for maintenance. However, as a company that aims to establish new standards of safety and efficiency in the industry, we felt the need to offer a more optimal solution for those applications where frequent access to the roof is required, such as roofs with photovoltaic installations”, he adds.
RENOLIT ALKORPLAN slip resistant Walkway stands out as a superior solution for ensuring enhanced safety and durability in roofing applications, whether they are new constructions or existing structures. This innovative product is a flexible PVC roofing membrane, precisely engineered to provide slip-resistant access across both flat and pitched roofs. Its design features a robust polyester reinforcement and a textured surface, making it particularly well-suited for demanding environments where foot traffic is frequent.
Enhanced safety with a high slip resistance in roofing solutions
The product’s slip resistance is outstanding, with a pendulum test value (PTV) exceeding 36 (tested according to DIN EN 16165, Annex C, slider 96, wet) and a class R13 rating (tested according to DIN EN 16165, Annex B) offering a low slip potential on roofs up to 35 degrees. The strategic combination of safety features reduces the risk of accidents significantly, providing peace of mind for property owners and contractors alike.
Beyond safety, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN slip resistant Walkway offers several practical advantages. The membrane is 2.0 mm thick, 82.5 cm wide, and available in 20 lm rolls, each weighing approximately 41 kg. Its bright yellow colour not only enhances visibility but also adds a level of aesthetic appeal.
While walking on PVC membrane roofs is permissible for routine activities like inspections or maintenance, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN slip resistant Walkway provides a dedicated path that tempers wear and tear on the waterproofing layer, ensuring longevity and sustained performance. This feature is particularly beneficial for roofs with photovoltaic panels, where the walkway's slip-resistant surface reduces the risk of slipping and enhances safety during maintenance operations.
In cold weather conditions, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN slip resistant Walkway maintains its slip-resistant properties, making it reliable across various climates. The installation process is straightforward and efficient, requiring hot air welding along the perimeter to the underlying waterproofing membrane, ensuring a secure and lasting fit and offering an excellent retrofit solution for pre-existing roofs.
Its versatility allows it to be used effectively on roofs equipped with RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Bright, Smart, and Classic waterproofing underlay membranes, as well as on roofs with RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar profiles. This makes it an ideal choice for protecting roofing investments while ensuring safe access areas for maintenance workers.
About RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products
Part of the German RENOLIT Group, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products is one of the reference points for the production of durable, versatile, and high-quality certified synthetic membranes for waterproofing roofs and covers, swimming pools, and civil engineering works. Headquartered in Sant Celoni, north of Barcelona, the market unit has about 300 employees and a production of one million rolls of membranes a year.
Reliability, impeccable style, energy saving, sustainability, quick installation, and high durability are the strengths of RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing membranes.
Main characteristics of the Roofing Division are the wide range of products, a flexible customer-oriented approach, strong know-how and all-round technical assistance on site, thus providing suitable roofing solutions to each specific problem.
About the Company
The RENOLIT Group is a world leader in high-quality membranes, films, and other plastic products. With more than 30 sales units and production sites in over 20 countries and a turnover of more than 1,200 million Euro, the company with headquarters in Worms (Germany) is one of the world's leading plastics manufacturers. Approximately 5,000 employees are engaged every day in the continuous development of know-how that has been built up over 75 years.
In 2019, RENOLIT joined the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA), an initiative promoted by more than 100 European entities, including SMEs, large companies, research institutes and administrative authorities whose aim is to promote
voluntary actions for a European market that is attentive and sensitive to plastics recycling.