An existing customer contacted us about a work-at-height issue highlighted by an engineer regarding a section of their production line. They explained that granular material being fed through overhead pipes into a hopper had occasionally been causing a blockage, resulting in recurring unwanted downtime. The customer’s main objective was to clear the blockage quickly and as safely as possible to keep production moving; however, the area they needed to access to complete the work was directly above the machine’s electrical control box.
The team at Ability International undertook a comprehensive site survey and engaged in a detailed dialogue with the customer to precisely identify the problem areas and discuss how they planned to clear the blockage, so we could best determine what equipment would be appropriate. We concluded that a lightweight, low-level scaffold tower was the most effective approach to reaching and unblocking the hopper, but, due to the control box, there needed to be more space to access the platform safely from the inside. To access a lightweight aluminium scaffold tower, a worker needs to climb from the inside to prevent it from tipping over, but this wasn’t possible because of a lack of available space.
So, we had to think outside the box.
After a quick brainstorming session, another project we had worked on last year, the Pod Tower, sprang to mind. Our old friend, Rob Cox, had been in touch with us to help extend and improve his prototype design, allowing him to take on other work requiring a little extra height. Rob’s Pod Tower was back with us, so we contacted our customer and arranged a demonstration.
They had not seen anything like this before and upon seeing it in action, the benefits of the Pod Tower’s lightweight, compact design were instantly apparent. They understood its usefulness immediately and had the confidence it would provide their engineers with a safe, guard-railed, toe-boarded platform to work on. Add the cherry on top of the comfortable, deep-tread angled ladder for access to the gated platform, and they were sold. They now have a fully compliant, low-level, height-adjustable work platform that their engineering maintenance team can use to access heights up to 3.4m, while keeping the area below the platform open to enable them to navigate various machines and obstructions, without affecting production.
If you have faced similar workplace issues, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are not just here to offer ready-made solutions; we’re also committed to understanding your unique challenges, brainstorming innovative ideas, and providing you with tailor-made solutions that ensure the safety and productivity of your team. With Ability International, you can be sure of a partner who will work tirelessly to resolve your work-at-height issues efficiently, cost-effectively, and safely.
Get in touch with us today!
