Escalators are a portable and convenient option for industrial settings, but it’s important to consider safety, weight capacity, storage space, and platform size when choosing one. Different designs of wheels and brakes affect safety, and tilt-and-roll ladders are a foolproof option.
Escalators are ubiquitous in the modern industrial facility. Their most obvious advantage is their easy portability, but there are additional features that make them an excellent choice, usually superior to folding ladders. However, there are differences between escalators, so it is important to consider how the escalators will be used and the safety of those using them when buying. Installation time, storage requirements and weight capacity should also be considered, as well as the material from which the staircase is constructed.
Time is of the essence in an industrial setting and time spent setting up and fixing a folding ladder or any other piece of equipment is considered wasted time. One benefit of most escalators is that they are already installed – you just bring them to your job site and you’re usually good to go. The downside is that escalators require much more storage space than folding stairs, and the storage space also generally takes up floor space. Rolling ladders come in different sizes and some are built to fold slightly when not in use. When selecting a sliding ladder, it’s best to plan ahead, measuring the available storage space in the facility where it will be used.
While wooden folding ladders are found in many structures, escalator frames are commonly constructed of steel or aluminum, or a combination of the two. Some applications, such as electrical work, require ladders constructed of non-conductive materials, such as wood or fiberglass. The weight capacity of a sliding ladder is also important. When estimating the load a ladder will support, it’s best to overestimate the weight of the workers, including the weight of the equipment and supplies they will be carrying. Remember that most escalators have a work platform at the top on which workers can store equipment and supplies, so the weight of these items is often much greater than what they would carry on a conventional non-escalator.
The size of the platform of an escalator is another important variable to consider, again in relation to the work that will be performed. For example, if the ladder will be used frequently for painting or cleaning, a larger platform is recommended to provide enough space to store the various tools and supplies involved. A larger platform for painters is not as suitable as scaffolding, but it does give workers the ability to reach a larger area without having to reposition the ladder. Ladders without such platforms, or with smaller platforms, should be avoided for such work.
Another crucial element that affects the usefulness and especially the safety of a sliding ladder is the design of the wheels. Some escalators are equipped with spring-loaded wheels: when no one is standing on the stairs, the wheels are in contact with the ground and the stairs can be moved. When a significant weight is placed on the scale, however, the legs make contact with the ground, securing the scale. The problem with this system is that the ladder is unsafe when there is no weight on it. If the worker comes down the ladder, and then tries to reassemble it, he can slip from under him; likewise, the ladder could simply roll away with no weight on it, posing a safety risk.
A different escalator design requires the operator to engage a set of legs or brakes that stabilize the stair. These systems take time to activate, can fail, and workers can try to circumvent them when time is short. Establishing proper procedures and regular training helps in this area, but the provision of safety equipment is just as effective in preventing accidents.
A single escalator design is absolutely foolproof in this regard. Commonly referred to as tilt and roll-up ladders, the wheels are mounted on the ladder legs, a few inches above the ground, so that they only contact the ground when the ladder is tilted. When the ladder is placed upright, the wheels automatically lose contact with the ground and cannot be accidentally engaged until the ladder is tilted again. One of the obvious benefits of this design is that it doesn’t require extra time to install. Once the operator has stopped rolling it and placed it upright, it is ready to use. One drawback is that because the ladder must be angled to move, it is possible for it to fall over as it is being moved; therefore, tilt-and-roll ladders cannot be safely built as high as those with spring-loaded wheels or brakes.
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