Hermann Leusder, technical manager Teupen Maschinenbau GmbH, Gronau, Germany informs about how the subject of safety has been dealt with by the company
“Work safely aloft“ is the motto of this height access problem specialist, more and more, users, planners and developers of real estate know the economical value of rubber-crawler-mounted aerial access platforms, which, moreover, facilitate more personal and building safety. This contribution clarifies some decisions which potential users need to think about before doing a job.
Architecture is becoming more extravagant these days. As regards height, there is almost no limit, e.g. the Swiss Re Tower in London, one of the tallest buildings in the world, to which one can think. A height of 180m., 22 000m2 of glass which consists of 5 146 façade pieces, 40 floors, atria which reach up over 6 floors, are just some of main features of this famous building. On top of these is the extravagant architecture, not dissimilar to a sugar loaf in shape. In these surroundings necessary maintenance, cleaning and general applications can not be achieved with a ladder.
Aesthetics
Moreover, not only outside, but also inside today’s modern buildings is also extravagant, with stairs, projections, plants and lighting to consider. As well as glass and facade cleaning, there are more and more jobs to do at height. The building manager is therefore, absolutely interested in making sure the structure is most in good condition with as little trouble as possible when doing the necessary work. On the other hand, the safety of the responsible people is very important. This means they must be able to solve these problems of working at height by being given the right tools. This is where aerial access platforms come in.
Focus on profitability
In the vast majority of cases the architect, due to aesthetics or economics, does not cater for height access technology in his building plans. In fact access platforms, for example, have an enormous effect on the structural engineering. Many architectural “eye catcher” were for this reason not practical. Many standard solutions cannot fulfil all the applications, as they travel either horizontally or vertically and do not reach all the necessary points. Additionally, they sometimes disturb the aesthetics. Nevertheless the work has to be done. Ladders can be used up to a height of 4 m., but this does not cover the whole spectrum of necessary work, nor are they completely safe. Scaffolding is also used a lot, but that is very expensive and inflexible and is time consuming. The use of abseilers has to be authorised by the health and safety authorities executive. Such authority is only granted in Germany and Europe when there is no other possible method for height access available. Abseilers are used more worldwide than here in Europe. The biggest disadvantage of this supposed solution is that the abseilers can only use one arm to do the work, also that they have no specific skills in e.g. cleaning, painting, roof repairs, inspection fire(smoke alarms, water sprinklers etc., etc.
In order to work safely at height, therefore, only access platforms can be used. “This is where our rubber-crawler-mounted LEO series is particularly strong” explains Hermann Leusder, technical manager of Teupen Maschinenbau GmbH, Gronau, Germany. “No situation is too complex, no space too small, nor floor too sensitive for our machine technology. Inside as well as outside this series shows its strength.”
Safe design of equipment
Architecture has changed dramatically in the last few years. This greatly affects the interiors of prestige buildings, which present themselves extremely extravagantly to the public. When working with access platforms, it must be fundamentally guaranteed that on one hand the building is cared for and on the other the operator is completely safe. The operator has his safety in his own hands inasmuch as he should wear a safety helmet and safety harness, plus any other required by regulations. The standard of the machine is constructed by the manufacturer.
There are many different types of aerial platforms, amongst others, scissor lifts, trailer-mounted, truck-mounted, self-propelled and rubber-crawler-mounted. The latter available from 12-50 m and can be used indoors. Worldwide there are approximately ten manufacturers of rubber-crawler-mounted machines. In sorting the wheat from, however, from the chaff, it must be determined what technology the machine includes, as to what the machine can do; easy to operate? What about weight on sensitive floors? Spare parts available? After-Sales-Service and so on? “Further, national CE marks and international EN 280 norms have to be taken into account in building such machines” Hermann Leusder made clear. The “solution expert” for complicated applications at height, Teupen Maschinenbau builds machines to all current national and international standards.
Various choice criteria
“High working height, light, a big outreach, as well as a dynamic, problem free telescoping out. That is what the ideal new generation access platforms looks like. In order to cover all these points”, the technical manager said, “many construction criteria had to be taken into account.” The total weight of the machine plays an important role. The lighter the machine is in the telescoping boom and the basket, the higher the boom can telescope out, therefore giving a longer outreach and a more manoeuvrable basket. Teupen is able to achieve this by using very light metals, either reinforced aluminium, or special aluminium alloys, such as are used in the aircraft industry, for example. In this way a lot of weight is saved, but a higher level of safety achieved.
The technical manager reported that the special alloy used by Teupen is called Aluminium Foam Sandwich (A.F.S.). The metal is formed by pressing a specially foamed granulate between two pressed aluminium plates. This aluminium sandwich concept gives a light, stiff structure, but which is very strong and safe.
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