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Platforms & Catwalks

REMCON PLATFORMS AND MAINTENANCE CATWALKS are designed to custom fit existing structures or machinery and provide safe and convenient access to difficult locations.  We specialize in building ladders, catwalks, and platforms for difficult areas in which standard equipment will not fit. 

Navigating the Maze
Recycling plants can often develop a complex maze of machinery that makes access through or to different locations in a plant difficult and unsafe.  Often this problem can be compounded by the reconfiguration that happens in any growing plant.  Remcon has been installing conveyors and conveyor systems in recycling plants for over 20 years and has gained valuable experience in providing access structures to navigate these conveyor systems.  ​

Installation Options from DIY to Let Us Do the Work
Remcon offers custom designed platforms and catwalks fully assembled for easy customer installation.  We also offer catwalks and platforms that are shop fabricated in practical sections for shipping and custom installed by our experienced installation crew.

Reasons for adding elevated structures

Often conveyor system designers are so concerned with the flow of material that they forget about the flow of the workers operating and maintaining the equipment.  It can be very cost-effective in the long run to retrofit a conveyor system with well-designed catwalks or ladders to provide access to inaccessible areas.   ​

•  PROVIDING A SAFER WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Safety does not simply mean meeting OSHA requirements; it is the responsibility of any employer to consider the many different safety concerns unique to each work environment.  Remcon can provide simple solutions to upgrade the overall safety of your work environment, such as:    

• Stands to raise workers to proper level for sorting
• Adding shortcuts to the restroom or break room
• Environmental enclosures for sorting stations

Remcon tries hard to work with each plant operator to identify specific safety concerns and develop a product to satisfy these concerns. These considerations involve not only normal working conditions, such as ergonomics or climate control, but also maintenance access, emergency plans, and visitor safety. ​

•  ADDING SHORTCUTS - FIRE ESCAPE ROUTES / CROSS-OVERS

In a fire, rising smoke combined with excitement can make a complex network of catwalks, platforms, stairs and ladders difficult to navigate.  Adding a catwalk or escape ladder can provide a shorter, more direct evacuation route for personnel working in these areas.  Sometimes getting people to safety can be as simple as running a catwalk straight out through an exterior wall of a building to a stairway or ladder leading to ground level.

•  QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTION STATIONS

Remcon has incorporated inspection stations into many of its conveyor systems.  Often this may simply consist of  a short ladder accessing a raised platform that can accommodate one worker.  This platform gives the worker a view of the material flow and can allow removal of contamination from the material.  This is sometimes combined with a control station allowing the worker to stop and start different machines to coordinate the flow of material from this vantage point.

​•  MAINTENANCE & CLEANING ACCESS

Many times in recycling systems, the only way to inspect a motor on an incline conveyor, for example, is with some kind of elevated lift or work platform. Often the area below is too restricted to get any type of lift equipment in the right location.  Inevitably this leads to neglected machinery and costly repairs.  Adding a customized maintenance catwalk at such a location can permanently solve the problem and allow easy and safe access to difficult areas whenever needed.  This makes maintenance much easier to perform, and increases the chances of spotting potential breakdowns before they happen.   ​

•  OBSERVATION DECKS & CATWALKS FOR PUBLIC TOURS

The recycling industry is seeing the benefits of opening its doors to the public to aid in educating both children and adults in the process of recycling and materials recovery.  In order to better facilitate this, many plants are incorporating observation platforms or catwalks into their Materials Recovery Facilities, which allow visitors to walk out onto a platform and observe the recycling system from a safe distance. 
Remcon has designed platforms for the general public to meet requirements for both children and adults.  Guardrails can be designed to be child-safe, incorporating vertical, climb-resistant pickets spaced 4" apart, and decking materials that allow safe walking in all types of footwear.  ​

Functional Design, and Options to Suit Your Needs:

DECK OPTIONS

• Diamond tread floor plate - Works well in areas that receive a lot of stringy materials, such as shredded paper, which is easily swept up on the solid decking.  Drain holes can be added to prevent water collection.
• Expanded Metal - An open flooring option which allows debris to fall through instead of collecting, provides good traction in snow and ice (flex of expanded metal allows ice to crack and fall through gaps).  Can be hard to sweep clean of shredded paper or similar material, which tends to get caught in the gaps.  Not allowed where high heels may be worn (i.e. general public tours).
• Grip Strut Safety Grating - Another open flooring option which provides excellent traction and strong and lightweight.  Also allows snow and liquids to drain through flooring.  As with expanded metal, this safety grating should not be used for public walkways.  Unlike expanded metal, safety grating must conform to standard width dimensions.

SAFETY HARNESS ATTACHMENT OPTIONS

• Installed where required
• Additional attachment points may be provided at request of customer

SURFACE COATING

• Available in a variety of colors and options
• Different coating procedures available depending on location of structure (rain/salt exposure, heat resistance, etc.)
• All guardrail and ladders painted Safety Yellow unless otherwise required

GUARDRAIL

• Guardrail is specially designed to be quick, easy, and safe to install and remove without the use of mechanical force (sledgehammer, crowbar, hydraulic jack, etc.). 
• Socket style guardrail pieces are freestanding once dropped into the corresponding sockets; additional bolts secure the pieces tightly to the platform to prevent rattling or upward lift of guardrail pieces.
• Guardrail pieces of the same dimensions are designed to be interchangeable.
• Bottoming design of guardrail posts prevents top rail from dropping below required height

INTEGRATED KICK PLATE (TOE BOARD) OPTIONS

Kick plate is usually either welded to the inside of the guardrail posts or formed into the deck plate.  This provides a heavy-duty kick plate that makes the installation process streamlined; it also keeps the guardrail posts on the outside of the kick plate, making the deck much easier to sweep. ​​

LADDERS

• Inclined (when possible) – 15 degree tilt from vertical, for ease and safety of climbing
• Treads – Formed "L" diamond plate provide secure foot & hand holds
• Caging – Available on most ladders, even if not required by code
• Top Dismount Options – Step-through or side-step (as set-up allows)
• Self-Closing Gates – Ideal for guarding around frequently used ladders
• Safety Chain – Best for ladders reserved for emergencies

contact us

We specialize in custom designed and fabricated equipment and can work with you to design a solution that will work well for your needs.  Contact us today to discuss options or to get a quote.