CHOOSING THE RIGHT MATERIAL FOR SAFE RESTRICTED SPACE ACCESS Jeremy Parker, Corporate Business Manager, Sayfa Group
Safe access to areas such as lift machinery/pits, HVAC, roof cavities and many other industrial plant areas is normally obtained by stairs, platforms, crossovers and walkways, usually manufactured in either steel or aluminium.
T
hese areas are most often small spaces that are difficult to manoeuvre in, out and around and require access equipment that is highly flexible in their design. When choosing the most appropriate construction materials for these applications, there are many factors that must be considered. While they are two of the most commonly used metals in the world, both aluminium and steel have their advantages and disadvantages. So, which is better? Below are some considerations to take into account when choosing between steel or aluminium installations.
Cost Raw materials The price of both aluminium and steel continue to fluctuate, and unfortunately COVID-19 has added even more volatility. The pandemic has resulted in major global supply issues, significant increases in fuel and shipping costs, and labour shortages, which all impact on the raw material cost and which ultimately have a bearing on the overall price of components.
16 SAFETY SOLUTIONS - MAY 2022
At the base level, the production of aluminium is always accepted as more expensive, purely because of higher raw material pricing and the manufacturing process. However, the difference is slight and is ultimately a very minor factor to be taken into account when selecting products.
Labour/installation time Depending on application, there can be quite significant differences in the cost of labour and install times between aluminium and steel. Due to their increased weight, steel components often require the use of heavy lifting machinery to place them onsite and in location. This can be quite problematic if space is limited. A larger workforce may be necessary as the heavier weight will not allow easy handling. In addition to this, hot works/welding is predominantly a normal part of installation. With regards to aluminium, the lighter weight construction can enable workers to manhandle components, often without machinery assistance. Not all aluminium must be welded onsite and systems, such as modular stairs, walkways, crossovers
and platforms, can often be completely or partially assembled elsewhere and then installed, some without requiring any hot works at all. This can dramatically reduce install times and costs, and also prevent long spells of production downtime.
Installation The placement of access stairs, platforms, walkways or crossovers in small or tight spaces can be extremely difficult. This can be made even more troublesome if the location cannot be accessed easily, and if the area where the installation is to be carried out is restrictive.
www.safetysolutions.net.au
