Imagine a floating rig — in operation — offshore. You’re in the middle of a major renovation project, and the scope of work includes blasting, painting, replacing pipes and adding valves. There are the usual safety and environmental concerns. Then there are the typical weather challenges: the wind, waves, rain and fog.
But your crews haven’t had to miss a single day of work due to inclement weather. They’re working on an enclosed, solid, unobstructed platform, which allows multiple trades to work with the highest degree of safety and productivity. The project is actually ahead of schedule.
Sound like some kind of offshore fairytale? It’s not. This is what high-quality access can deliver today. And more often than not, it begins with a multipoint suspended access system.
Designed to be installed at elevation, rigid, multipoint suspended scaffold provides safe, factory floor-like working conditions and delivers high-quality access with effective containment to prevent environmental contamination and reduce or eliminate weather-related project delays. Easily assembled either “in the air” or on the ground and then hoisted into place, modular suspended systems can be designed to span large areas, fit unique shapes and be combined with other access solutions, such as supported scaffolding.
A multipoint suspended scaffold system with live load capacities of up to 100 pounds per square foot (while maintaining OSHA’s required 4:1 factor of safety) also allows craftspeople to use virtually all equipment they normally use on grade — even heavy equipment like blast pots, lifts, pumps, welders and more. With overhead protection or a “debris shield” installed, scope of work can also be safely performed anywhere below the platform.
Thus, safety and savings happen at every step — and all while the rig is kept in operation throughout the project.
In the past, when extensive blasting, painting or piping work was required on a floating rig, it was always hauled into a shipyard, dry-docked or brought in quayside. This meant the rig wasn’t in operation and making money. You were losing money before the project even got underway. Then, on top of that, you had to factor in expensive shipyard or dry-dock fees.
But with today’s quality access solutions, rigs can remain offshore and in operation, while needed improvements and upgrades are being performed with a high degree of efficiency. In this case you’re still making money, and you’re avoiding the expense of shipyard or dry-dock facilities.
In addition, there’s the positive impact that high-quality access can have on workface planning and safety. Too many times the weather offshore can keep crews from working. But a multipoint suspended access system can be completely enclosed, which means you will never need to pay a crew to wait around while the weather clears.
Around the globe, multipoint access systems with rigid platforms are consistently outperforming other solutions. From projects off the coasts of New Zealand, Africa, Canada and Brazil to the United States, suspended scaffold is saving time and money, while increasing safety and environmental protection.
Improved safety and better environmental protection. Lower costs and increased productivity. Reduced weather-related downtime. These are the priorities in any offshore project. And the kind and quality of your access solution is key to every one of them.
For more information, call (800) 558- 4772 or visit www.safwaygroup.com.
Designed to be installed at elevation, rigid, multipoint suspended scaffold provides safe, factory floor-like working conditions to prevent environmental contamination and reduce or eliminate weather-related delays.
