Painting a stairwell, maintaining overhead services or carrying out refurbishment work above stairs all present a particular access challenge. Changes in level, restricted space and the position of the work need to be considered together.
For contractors, maintenance teams and hire businesses, choosing equipment designed for the setting is an important part of planning the job.
The Alto Stairwell-Pro is an aluminium access tower developed specifically for use on domestic and commercial staircases.
Understanding the space before work begins
Every staircase presents a different combination of dimensions, obstructions and access requirements. A tower that suits one location may need a different configuration in another.
Before selecting equipment, useful information to gather includes:
• The staircase dimensions, including tread sizes and landing space.
• The height and position of the work.
• Any restrictions created by handrails, walls, doors or overhead features.
• The space available for stabilisation.
• How people will move through the area while work takes place.
Sharing these details early helps the equipment supplier understand the application and advise on a suitable arrangement.
A tower designed for staircases
Alto Stairwell-Pro combines a compact footprint with features developed for access on a wide variety of stairs.
Its walkthrough base frames help accommodate movement at the base of the assembled tower, while a clip-on ladder provides access to the first platform. Ground-level stabilisers can be positioned to suit changes in level, including individual stair treads.
For applications where ground-level stabilisation is not practicable stub stabilisers are available for bracing against adjacent walls, the manual includes quantities for each configuration.
These features give planners options when assessing an awkward space. The final arrangement must suit the site and follow the relevant assembly instructions.
Making equipment work harder for hire fleets
For hire businesses, specialist access enquiries are an opportunity to help customers resolve a specific site challenge. Stairwell-Pro integrates with the Alto Mini Tower system, offering scope to make greater use of compatible equipment across different applications.
Getting the right information at the enquiry stage also helps the hire team identify the equipment required. Photographs and measurements provide a useful starting point for discussions about the proposed work.
Stairwell-Pro in practice: Charing Cross
Our Charing Cross case study looks at an application involving Spoor-Tech and Alto Stairwell-Pro in an escalator tunnel setting. It provides a practical example of an advanced use of the product to explore alongside the product information, particularly for customers considering access in a restricted space.
Photo courtesy of Spoor-Tech
Planning your next stairwell access project?
Whether you are specifying equipment for your own team or responding to a customer’s hire enquiry, start with the space, the task and the access requirements. Send Alto photographs, dimensions and details of the work so we can discuss your application and the available options. Contact us today!
