If you’ve driven on the highway, there’s a high likelihood that you’ve seen a tanker. These trucks are integral to the oil and gas industry and are designed to transport liquids and gases by road. They are built with stable, rounded corners and can be trusted to transport flammable and unstable substances like gas, oil, and hazardous chemicals. Trucks need low centres of gravity and internal bulkheads or baffles when transporting fuel in a tanker. This is because fuel expands and contracts depending on its temperature. Tanker trucks might also transport other more stable liquid substances for human consumption.
How to Build the Best Fuel Tanker Unloading System
Looking to make your unloading operations the best in the business? The answer is simple: invest in a bottom-loading arm. While using hoses for loading and unloading in the fuel tanker industry is common, loading arms are superior for several reasons. Unlike hoses, they do not need to be recertified every year. Additionally, they are much safer for your crew. While Northern Platforms offers both bottom and top loading arms, we typically recommend bottom loading if your operation deals primarily with fuel. Here’s why bottom loading is best for fuel tanker unloading:
Helps prevent fires: bottom loading limits liquid agitation and turbulence, which can cause sparks and fires. These systems also typically feature grounding features.
Allows vapour recovery: bottom loading systems can be modified to recover displaced vapours, which can significantly reduce your environmental impact.
Reduces the risk of falls: As the name suggests, top loading is more dangerous since operators have to load and unload from the top of the truck, which creates a potential falling risk.
Extended lifespan (over 5 years) with frequent use.
Short lifespan with frequent use.
Site Safety
Easy and safe to operate. Can be outfitted with fall protection systems for additional safety.
Increased risk of tripping and other worker injuries.
Safety Features
Can easily be outfitted with additional safety features like dry disconnects, breakaway couplings, and overfill protection.
Can use breakaway couplings, dry disconnects, and hiltap fittings.
Certification Requirements
Low maintenance, no recertification required.
Must be maintained and require annual pressure tests.
Build a Comprehensive Fuel Tanker Loading and Unloading System with Northern Platforms
Ready to get started on making your operations safer and more efficient? We stock high-quality loading arms from EMCO Wheaton and OPW Engineered Systems, which are designed for optimal performance. These loading arms are ideal for unloading petroleum products, chemicals, and liquefied gases. Plus, when you partner with an experienced loading solution provider like Northern Platforms, you can ensure that your system will perfectly fit all your loading needs. We offer turnkey installation, expert maintenance, and consulting services. Explore our loading arm inventory and schedule a site visit with the Northern Platforms team today!
In a busy industrial environment, your tasks are constantly changing. One moment you might need to reach a high shelf in the warehouse, and the next, you’re accessing equipment across the facility. Fixed ladders and step ladders just don’t offer the flexibility to keep up with these demands.
That’s where portable stairs come in. Built for strength, mobility, and ease of use, portable stairs allow your team to safely and efficiently access elevated areas, no matter where the job takes them.
At Northern Platforms, we specialize in portable stairs designed to meet the specific needs of your industry. Whether you’re looking for tilt and roll, mobile, or self-leveling options, we’ll help you find the perfect solution to keep your team safe and productive.
What are Portable Stairs?
Portable stairs are temporary or movable stair systems designed to provide access to elevated areas such as loading docks, storage shelves, and more. These systems are more flexible and adaptable than traditional ladders, making them useful for fast-paced workplaces.
The Benefits of RollAStep Products for Industrial Worksites
One of the leading distributors of portable stairs is RollAStep, a provider of durable, portable access solutions designed for safety and convenience in industrial settings. Their mobile work platforms and portable stairs feature a durable powder-coated finish, wide, non-slip tread, full-sized handrails, and full-toe boards. With RollaStep, you get flexible, OSHA-compliant equipment that boosts efficiency and keeps your workers safe.
Tilt-and-roll stairs are a type of ladder that can be tilted back on its wheels to move from one location to another. Unlike traditional ladders, these stairs are easier to move and maneuver. For example, RollAStep’s TR series of tilt-and-roll ladders is ideal for small spaces due to its lightweight aluminum frame and side-rolling casters.
Mobile Stairs
Mobile stairs, also known as mobile work platforms, are portable stairs that can be moved around on wheels. They usually have a larger work surface than ladders and have features like handrails and guardrails to make them safer to use.
With RollAStep’s MP series, you can get the stability of a fixed work platform with the mobility of a portable stair unit. Featuring a 9-inch by 3-inch work platform, these portable stairs can hold multiple people and pieces of equipment at the same time. Plus, unlike fixed work platforms, the MP series can be easily moved around your worksite by a single person.
Self-Levelling Stairs
Self-levelling stairs are designed to automatically adjust to varying heights, providing a stable and safe walkway on uneven surfaces or different elevation levels.
RollAStep’s G series can be adjusted to different heights simply by removing a locking pin, making these portable stairs ideal for environments where precise height adjustments are needed. By ensuring a level step at any height, they enhance safety and flexibility for workers in dynamic settings.
Cantilever Stairs
Cantilever ladders or stairs are a type of portable stairs that are designed with an overhanging or projecting section that allows workers to safely access hard-to-reach areas.
RollAStep’s C series cantilever platforms are essential for lifting workers above, on, or over railcars, tank trucks, or other tall industrial machinery. These portable stairs have a steel base to help them stay balanced and a platform that extends out from the base to help workers avoid touching the equipment they are working on. For extra security, the C series can also include a safety cage, which can fit over a tanker truck or railcar to prevent falls.
Portable Stairs and More at Northern Platforms
Ready to enhance the safety and efficiency of your worksite with the right portable stairs? Northern Platforms offers a wide selection of customizable safety solutions tailored to your specific needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create a safer, more productive work environment.
Ensuring railcar loading safety is critical for protecting workers, preventing accidents, and keeping operations running smoothly. Whether handling hazardous materials or bulk goods, following proper safety protocols is essential for minimizing risks.
Are you looking for the right safety equipment for your operation? Here are five essential Northern Platforms products that can enhance railcar loading safety for your operations.
At Northern Platforms, we pride ourselves on delivering customized safety solutions. Our team will visit your site, assess your needs, and tailor our recommendations to fit your unique requirements.
Gangways and Loading Platforms
Both gangways and loading platforms are popular solutions for ensuring the safety and productivity of railcar loading operations.
Loading platforms are the most used piece of safety equipment, as they provide workers with a secure place to stand while loading and unloading materials. Usually, these platforms are sturdy and non-slip, allowing multiple workers to stand on them for short periods during loading.
Your railcar loading operation should also include gangways, which bridge the gap between the loading platform and the railcar. This piece of equipment helps protect workers by reducing the risk of falls and injuries. Northern Platforms offers customizable gangways that adjust to various railcar heights, ensuring safe access and compliance with railcar loading safety standards.
Loading Arms
Top and bottom loading arms are crucial for railcar loading safety, especially when transferring liquids or hazardous materials. Unlike traditional hoses, loading arms are durable and offer precise control, reducing the risk of leaks and accidents. Their flexibility and sturdiness make them a safer and more reliable option for efficient material transfer.
Using loading arms instead of hoses can dramatically improve railcar loading safety by minimizing manual handling and preventing spills.
Wheel Chocks and Blue Flags Protection
Next, you will need wheel chocks, which are essential for preventing the railcar from accidentally moving during the loading process. Simple yet effective, these devices are placed under the railcar wheels to keep them stationary.
All railcar loading operations should include blue flags in addition to wheel chocks. Blue flags are visual symbols used to warn approaching railway vehicle operators that rail cars are being loaded and unloaded and to indicate that workmen are in the area.
Track Pans
Effective spill containment is critical to railcar loading safety, particularly when dealing with hazardous materials. Track pans are installed between the rail tracks to capture any spills during loading. This product helps safeguard both the workers and the environment from exposure to harmful substances.
Northern Platforms offers several containment solutions from UltraTech, including track pans, berms, and barrels, to ensure full compliance with safety regulations and prevent environmental damage.
Safety Showers
Having easily accessible safety showers is essential for emergency decontamination in any situation where hazardous materials are present. Safety regulations often require safety showers in all areas where chemicals are handled. Plus, positioning them within reach of the railcar loading area can make a significant difference in an emergency.
Ensure your railcar loading safety meets safety standards by equipping your site with properly maintained and strategically placed safety showers.
Safety Solutions Tailored to Your Needs
When it comes to loading your railcar safely, it is important to examine your existing operation. Northern Platforms is here to help you find safety solutions specifically tailored to your needs. Contact us today to start improving the safety and efficiency of your operations.
Efficient, safe, and effective–bottom loading arms are a worthwhile addition to your loading system.
Northern Platforms offers a wide selection of trusted and ergonomic bottom-loading arms from established brands like OPW Engineered Systems and EMCO Wheaton. Ready to integrate bottom-loading arms into your operation? Let’s go over some key things to consider before you make this purchase.
What are Bottom Loading Arms?
As the name suggests, bottom loading arms are used when loading from the bottom and should be paired with trucks or railcars that accommodate a bottom loading configuration.
Bottom-loading arms are a safer and more efficient alternative to hoses. Read more about the difference between hoses and loading arms in our previous post: “Hoses vs Loading Arms: Which Works Best?”
Here are some more advantages of bottom-loading arms:
Operator safety: Workers remain on the ground, which reduces fall risks.
Faster loading: Quicker connections and the ability to load multiple compartments at the same time.
Less turbulence: The process generates less turbulence in the tank, which helps lower static generation.
Less vapours: Fewer vapours are released, which helps lessen the environmental impact.
More cost-effective: Typically, these systems are easier and cheaper to build than top-loading arms.
Key Considerations for Choosing Bottom Loading Arms
There are several factors to consider when choosing your bottom loading arm. It is essential to consider your existing operation to ensure that you can find the right equipment for you.
If you aren’t sure where to start, contact Northern Platforms, and we will be happy to help you find a loading configuration that integrates seamlessly into your existing operation.
What type of fluid are you handling?
First, it is important to ensure that the materials of your bottom loading arm are compatible with the fluid you are moving.
For example, if you are moving corrosive substances, you will want to ensure that your bottom loading arms are made of a corrosion-resistant material like stainless steel. However, if you are moving non-hazardous materials, you could use carbon steel, which is often cheaper and lighter.
What type of vehicle are you loading?
Whether you are loading a tanker truck or a railcar, the type of vehicle you are loading affects the design of your bottom loading arms. Keep in mind that different vehicles have specific connection points and height requirements. Make sure to choose an arm that can easily reach and securely connect to your vehicle to avoid leaks and operational issues.
What is your loading environment like?
Your loading environment can significantly impact the type of loading arm you need. Consider: is there existing equipment that would interfere with your loading arm? Do you need an operation that is suitable for outdoor use? Are there other environmental factors you should consider, like extreme temperatures or exposure to hazardous chemicals?
What additional safety equipment do you need?
While bottom loading arms are a good start, there are always ways to make your site safer and more efficient. At Northern Platforms, we offer extra safety equipment to help ensure that your loading system operates smoothly and safely.
While bottom loading arms can improve the efficiency and safety of your loading and unloading operations, working with an experienced team is essential to ensure this new addition integrates seamlessly into your existing operation. That’s where Northern Platforms comes in. We’ll consider your existing equipment and ensure your new loading arm fits perfectly.
With over 50 years of industry experience, Northern Platforms is always happy to send one of our experts to your site. We’ll conduct a thorough evaluation every time to help guarantee a perfect match. Contact us today to find the loading arm that is right for you.
Picture this: you oversee the transfer of materials from your loading platform to a fleet of trucks. Each truck is a different height, size, and shape, making it hard to safely and consistently access the tops of these vehicles in order to load them.
In situations like this, tight timelines and inadequate safety equipment can lead to inefficient and dangerous loading processes, which can put workers at greater risk of injuries and accidents. However, by implementing some simple yet effective safety solutions, such as articulating stairs, you can ensure that your workers are safe, well-equipped, and efficient.
Keep reading to learn more about why articulating stairs are right for your worksite and how Northern Platforms can help you.
What are Industrial Articulating Stairs?
Industrial articulating stairs, also known as self-adjusting stair gangways, are versatile and adjustable stair systems designed to provide access to elevated work areas. Unlike fixed or modular stairs, these systems can be adjusted in real-time to accommodate different heights. This adaptability makes these systems ideal for environments where vehicle heights change frequently.
While industrial articulating stairs may be more expensive than fixed or modular stairs, the adaptability and durability of these products make them a smart long-term investment. While you may pay more upfront, industrial articulating stairs will inevitably help you save money in the long run.
How Do Industrial Articulating Stairs Work?
In most cases, industrial articulating stairs create a safe and ergonomic path to elevated work surfaces like the tops of trucks, tankers, or railcars. In these industries, vehicles rarely have uniform heights, so using traditional fixed stairs is often extremely impractical.
For example, SafeRack’s SAS self-levelling gangways are built to articulate and self-level, which can help accommodate various heights of vehicles. Some key features of this product include:
A powered lift & lower system makes the gangway easy to adjust and safer to use
A positive locking system is available in any position, which helps to protect both drivers and operators automatically.
Many available size and width options to help suit any application.
Track-Mounted Gangways for Added Flexibility
In many industrial settings, articulating stairs are often paired with track-mounted gangways to help with side-to-side movement. Instead of moving trucks or tankers to re-align with the stair system, a track-mounted gangway slides along a rail, allowing workers to reach the vehicle from any angle. This setup saves time, boosts efficiency, and ensures that workers can safely access different areas of the vehicle.
This system is especially helpful when the vehicle has several loading or unloading spots. A track-mounted system lets the gangway be easily moved without having to shift the vehicle, which improves workflow and safety overall.
Industrial Articulating Stairs and More at Northern Platforms
Ready to level up your worksite? Northern Platforms has everything you need to make your operations safer and more efficient. On top of safe access solutions like articulating stairs, we have everything you need to streamline loading and unloading trucks, railcars, and more.
