GETTING TO GRIPS AS MONKEY TOE HITS THE ROOF Don’t put a foot wrong Walkways | Platforms | Ladders | Glass Balustrades Handrails | Hatches | Condenser Mounts www.engineeringnews.co.nz 27 If you don’t know who Monkey Toe is, then you haven’t climbed up on a roof lately. With a background in innovative engineering, the company says that its unique clip system has changed the way plant platforms, condenser mounts and roof access is done. Clinging to the roof like a monkey toe, it safely grips the roof without compromising its structural integrity. With a contract to provide roof access to a newly roofed warehouse at Fonterra’s Whareroa factory – Monkey Toe Group had to come up with a solution that would fix to the roof without voiding the warranty of the new roof. It was this creative solution that led to the successful Monkey Toe system used today on buildings all over the country. This solutions-focussed attitude came to the fore with a recent job for Ebert Construction and the development of its Danone factory in Auckland. The company was under pressure with its two bag lifter shafts requiring access for cleaning; the bag lifters were already on site and waiting to be installed. Access platforms were required at multiple levels to enable them to meet Ebert Construction’s strict hygiene requirements. Monkey Toe’s design team jumped into gear; facing the challenge to design and build an access system that would be self-supporting, and give the client the ability to clean down both the walls and machinery at 2.7 metre intervals up the 18 metre lift shafts. Because of time constraints, it needed to allow for extremely fast installation; it also needed to be adjustable to allow for any discrepancies in the existing building. Being a ‘U’ shaped platform, all bracing was achieved by special brackets through the PRI panel walls, back to structural girts. Hygiene requirements had to be taken into consideration, eliminating areas where powder could accumulate and sealing open sections. Areas between stitch welds needed to be sealed to prevent powder entrapment. Safe & compliant roof access: www.monkeytoe.co.nz | 0800 658 637 T R U S T I T W I T H YO U R L I F E EN090 Health & Safety also played a part in the design, making certain codes were met. With tight dimensions, this was also a challenge, as was the installation. The shaft was 18 metres high, and there were seven levels of platforms; the top two level installs were carried out using specialist rope access installers as the space only allowing for a 15 metre scissor lift. Monkey Toe Group products are engineered for safety and are manufactured in New Zealand at the company factory in Hawera. All products are fully compliant with AS/NZS industry standards. Many products have a lifetime warranty. Because Monkey Toe Group has an engineering and design team, as well as a nationwide network of installers, it can assist customers from concept to installation. The company can supply and install product nationwide.
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