RTU’s require ongoing maintenance. Workers accessing roof-tops to maintain equipment are frequently met with accessibility challenges and obstacles such as pipes, skylights, ducts, and parapets, not to mention abundant trip and fall hazards. For roof-top accessibility, crossover stairs are required for obstacles over 12″ height to be OSHA compliant.
ErectaStep’s line of patented industrial modular metal stairs and industrial maintenance access platforms feature modular, lightweight metal components that are as easy to reconfigure as they are to assemble with no lift or cranes required for installation.
All 5 ErectaStep components can be easily carried up by ladder saving time and money. While steel is known to rust and corrodes over time, especially in harsh weather conditions, aluminum is maintenance-free. Lighter construction also means less weight eliminating distribution complications common on roof-top installation.
When adding Rooftop platforms and crossovers, a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) is required to ensure all conditions and contingencies are considered in the design. In addition to meeting International Building Code (IBC), OSHA, and any additional local compliance requirements, an engineer will ensure that structural considerations such as weight distribution, ongoing wear (e.g. wind displacement), and long term maintenance will need to be factored in. Cutting corners in an effort to get the job done should never be considered. Not only can this be costly and certified contractors and installers are always recommended. For example, a leak in a multi-story office building due to an improperly mounted stair unit and mechanical equipment will never be worth the perceived savings of getting the job done quickly by less capable installers.
