Kent-based precast concrete maker, Supreme Concrete, have been producing customised concrete structures since 1979. From chimney caps to bollards, retaining wall blocks to customised castings, Supreme Concrete deliver orders across the UK.
Understanding the Challenge
With this type of success, comes a very busy dispatch yard. And with the type of product that it is, safety for workers and drivers in the yard is paramount. Once the products are loaded on to the trucks, strapping down these heavy objects can become a challenge; custom ordering mean a differently-shaped product every time.
At all seven depots, delivery drivers were climbing onto the truck, and over all the stock, to get the ratchet straps on. The company also had one occurrence of a driver walking down to the back of a truck to alight who slipped between two beams. No serious injury was incurred, but Supreme’s management realised that is could have been much worse – injury or death on their property and financially-costly downtime due to the potential for heavy falling beams.
Supreme Concrete commissioned UK work platform supplier SafeSmart Access to come up with the solution. They needed an easy-to-manoeuvre and weather-resistant set of steps that allowed drivers to see over the loaded product whilst securing straps. And to reduce the temptation for climbing up on the back end of the trailer or platform, a feature that only allowed management to grant drivers access was needed.
Supplying the Solution: Super Maintenance Podium
SafeSmart provided their Portable Access Stairs product in 15-step configuration. And SafeSmart did indeed make the unit from the highest-quality marine grade aluminium, according to measurements of the sea wall height – of course, these measurements had to allow for pitch angle leeway that might be needed to accommodate variance in ground height on moving sands. These stairs’ self-levelling treads proved perfect for solving that challenge – the treads are always level when the unit’s pitch angle is adjusted.
And the unit is easily transportable, thanks to its lighter weight than say steel, and its collapsible handrails. These Portable Access Stairs are compliant to BS EN12811-1:32003, making them the HSE-friendly option.
The Result
Supreme Concrete’s Frank Haggarty is very pleased with the added safety and efficiency that the SMP has brought to the yards of the company.
“Not only do we have a safer way of getting up to the side of the vehicles, but we also know that drivers are doing a more thorough and more effective job with tying down loads. There will be some more orders in the future as some of our larger depots may need two units.”
