When loading and unloading railcars, you need safe access solutions to keep your crew safe, efficient, and compliant with local safety regulations. At Northern Platforms, we have the railcar loading solutions you need and outstanding customer service to help you with all of your safe access requirements! Our goal is to keep your staff, equipment, and products as secure as possible while working on loading or unloading your railcars. Northern Platforms is based in Leduc, Alberta and is proud to partner with numerous trusted best in class manufacturers to bring your operations the products you need to work safely! Below we’ll cover more about the manufacturers we’ve partnered with and the excellent railcar loading products that SafeRack manufactures. Keep reading to learn more!
Manufacturers You Can Trust
Loading and unloading railcars can be tricky, especially when demand is high and your operation is busy. With the proper access equipment, such as safety cages, gangways, and loading racks, you can ensure that your staff has the necessary tools to work safely and efficiently. In addition, the proper safe access solutions can ensure that your operations comply with OH&S or OHSA standards. At Northern Platforms, we are committed to safety and accessibility. We are proud to provide high-quality railcar loading equipment from top manufacturers such as:
SafeRack
OPW Engineered Systems
Emco Wheaton
Ultratech
Scully
RollaStep
And more!
When you need a railcar loading system that can meet the demands of your operations, Northern Platforms is here to help! Regardless of the size of your rail loading operation or terminal, Northern Platforms will have the safe access solutions you need to ensure efficient and safe working conditions. Our team can even visit your worksite and assist you in determining the best possible safe access and railcar loading solutions for your particular applications.
SafeRack’s Flat Ramp Telescopic Gangway (FRT)
You have plenty of options to choose from regarding railcar loading equipment. However, SafeRack’s flat ramp access gangway (FRT) is a popular option. The FRT features a slip-resistant walking surface to reduce tripping hazards. With the telescoping extension, the FRT also eliminates gaps on narrow railcars, making loading and unloading more accessible and safer. While you have options to include a safety cage on the FRT, the telescoping top handrails are available on all FRT models without the safety cage. Overall the FRT is built to improve safety while loading railcars without sacrificing quality or durability. Having trouble with railcars being spotted properly? No problem, a tracking gangway will give you the adjustability to track the gangway along the platform to line it up with the railcar opening. Let the team at Northern Platforms showcase the SafeRack Flat Ramp Telescopic Gangway and help you add this fantastic unit to your operations!
Your Source for Railcar Loading Systems!
At Northern Platforms, we have decades of combined industry experience. So you can rest assured knowing your safe access solutions experts are ready to help you with whatever challenges your operation may be facing. We are proud to provide our customers with exceptional customer service and products, from railcar loading gangways, spill containment, loading arms and more! Aside from our comprehensive inventory, Northern Platforms also offers turnkey installation services, preventative maintenance, and more. Contact us today to learn more about our railcar loading products and our extensive inventory of safe access solutions!
When your operations need a safe and reliable way to load trucks, railcars, and trailers, Northern Platforms is here to help! Our extensive inventory of safe access solutions and fall protection can ensure that your operations are safe for your workers and compliant with local health and safety standards. With decades of experience, Northern Platforms is here to assist you with your safe access solutions needs. Below we’ll take a closer look at two truck loading platforms from SafeRack. Keep reading to find out more!
Defining Truck Loading Platforms
Truck loading platforms, sometimes called truck loading racks or access platforms, are vital pieces of safe access equipment. In their most basic form, truck loading platforms are a platform with a ladder or staircase-like structure that enables your staff to safely and quickly reach the tops of trucks and trailers. While many operations will use scaffolding instead of truck loading platforms, that option isn’t as safe or cost-effective. At Northern Platforms, we recommend using a truck loading platform with a SafeRack SAS gangway or a SafeRack MAUI. Ensuring the safety of your employees is a top priority for your operations. The team at Northern Platforms is here to help you determine the optimal truck-loading platform for your applications.
Comparing SafeRack’s SAS and MAUI
Northern Platforms is Western Canada’s premier distributor of SafeRack equipment and products. We are proud to partner with trusted manufacturers like SafeRack to ensure that our customers can access industry-leading safe access solutions. When your operations need reliable, high-quality, safe access solutions, SafeRack’s SAS gangway and MAUI are built to perform! SafeRack is an industry leader in safety, quality, and performance. Both the SAS gangway and MAUI truck loading platforms offer unbeatable performance and add value to your operations. Below we’ll compare these two units.
About the SAS Gangway
The SAS (Self-Adjusting Star) from SafeRack is an excellent truck loading platform gangway for operations that work with trucks and trailers that vary in size. This truck loading platform is self-levelling and articulating, so the SAS can adjust to fit regardless of the truck or trailer height you’re working with. That also means you don’t have to worry about dismantling and reassembling the SAS every time you load a new truck. The SAS also has a positive lifting and lowering system (spring counterbalance) to ensure the safety of your operators and drivers while the truck loading platform is in operation. Also, the SAS gangway has a reduced number of weld points compared to other products. Hence, its operational life is significantly longer. Finally, the SAS gangway can be retrofitted to be a perfect replacement for your old truck loading platforms. Overall the SafeRack SAS gangway brings excellent safety, performance and value to your business.
About the MAUI
In comparison, the SafeRack MAUI (mobile access unit portable platform) is created to prioritize portability and durability. The MAUI is a robust truck loading platform with a 500-pound load capacity. In addition, the MAUI is constructed from weather-resistant, heavy-duty aluminum. It features no-flat tires so that it can withstand in-house or field operations. Similarly to the SAS gangway, the MAUI has a telescoping ladder so that it can accommodate a variety of truck and trailer heights from 10′ to 14′. If you’re looking for a rugged truck loading platform that can stand up to tough jobs, the SafeRack MAUI is your best choice!
Your Source for Safe Access Solutions!
Northern Platforms is proud to be a Canadian family-owned and operated business that provides a range of industries with high-quality, safe access solutions and fall protection. With decades of experience under our belts, the team at Northern Platforms can assist you in determining the best access solutions for your operations so that you can remain OSHA and OH&S compliant. In addition to our comprehensive inventory, Northern Platforms also offers turnkey installation services, maintenance support, and more! Ready to learn more about our range of truck loading platforms? Contact Northern Platforms today!
Are you looking to improve your current railcar fall protection strategy? Are you unsure what equipment would be best suited for your operations? Northern Platforms is here to help! With decades of experience, our team has the knowledge and skills to determine the best railcar fall protection system for your unique worksite. As Western Canada’s premier distributor of SafeRack, YellowGate and more, Northern Platforms can ensure your site is safe and compliant with OHSA and OH&S standards. Next, we’ll discuss further railcar fall protection and some of the solutions that we offer! Continue reading to learn more.
Factors that Influence Your Fall Protection
Regardless of your industry, fall protection is critical for keeping your staff safe and remaining compliant with OSHA and OH&S standards. Regarding railcars, numerous things can influence how your fall protection strategy should be implemented. Likely you are already aware that railcars range in length, height, and crash box sizes. These factors must be considered when planning your fall protection strategy. In addition, the load carried by the railcars you’re working with may also influence your fall protection. For instance, transporting Hydrogen as ammonia in railcars requires particular handling standards to transport it safely; your fall protection system must be aware of that. The team at Northern Platforms is here to help you with your railcar fall protection! Our experts can check out your site and discuss your protection to help determine the optimal fall protection system and safe access solutions you need to keep your staff safe and have your operations remain compliant with safety regulations.
Options for Your Railcar Fall Protection
As mentioned previously, several factors influence the nature of your railcar fall protection. With those factors in mind, utilizing high-quality, innovative equipment is essential to make your operation safe and accessible. In addition, to secure access solutions like loading racks and platforms, Northern Platforms also offers several options for access equipment that can improve your fall protection strategy. Some options include the following:
Safety cages and access gangways
Complete fall protection solutions
Dry disconnect fittings
Spill containment solutions
Tracking gangway systems
Operator buildings
Safety showers
Loading arms
Railyard safety equipment such as flags, wheel chocks, and more!
Regardless of your current railcar protection system, Northern Platforms is here to ensure that your site is safe and compliant with local safety regulations. Our team can map out the best railcar fall protection plan for your operations and provide you with the necessary high-quality and reliable equipment.
Your Source for Fall Protection and More!
Northern Platforms has been a leading provider of YellowGate, SafeRack, ErectaStep and more for over two decades! We are a family-owned and operated company that strives to provide our customers with the best access and safety solutions. No matter what industry you’re working in or what your railcars are transporting, Northern Platforms is sure to have the railcar fall protection equipment you need! Ready to learn more about our offering of fall protection or our other safe access solutions? Contact us today!
Industrial catwalks are used across various industries to improve a worksite’s layout, safety, and worker productivity. They provide elevated access for workers and equipment around hazardous zones and difficult areas. When it comes to installing a catwalk system, you want a structure that is built to last and OHSA and OH&S compliant. Fortunately, Northern Platforms has you covered with our range of ErectaStep catwalk platforms.
Keeping your workers and facility safe and compliant should be a top priority for your operations. Northern Platforms’ team of experts can assist you in determining the optimal safe access and loading solutions for your unique needs, facility, and industry. Below we’ll cover some of the benefits of using ErectaStep’s modular catwalk platforms and how Northern Platforms can make installation straightforward! Continue reading to find out more.
Customize as You See Fit
Regardless of the industry you’re working in, modular catwalk platforms from ErectaStep can enhance the safety of your site or facility. Since ErectaStep has a modular design, you can customize these catwalk platforms to your particular needs and workspaces. This makes the platforms incredibly versatile and easy to install. That means no matter what hazards or obstacles you’re looking to be able to navigate around safely, ErectaStep can step up to the challenge!
Quality You Can Count On
As an industry leader in the safe access and loading solutions sector, ErectaStep is a well-known and reliable brand providing clients with the modular products they need. ErectaStep’s pre-engineered and pre-manufactured catwalk kits are built with robotic welding machines using the latest laser-cutting technology and patent pending designs. With technology and innovation, ErectaStep is the superior choice for performance and OHSA and OH&S compliance. For over twenty years, ErectaStep products have made worksites and facilities safer. Northern Platforms is proud to partner with reliable and high-quality brands like ErectaStep, SafeRack, YellowGate and more.
Based in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms has been Western Canada’s preferred access and loading solutions distributor. Our inventory features popular brands like ErectaStep, SafeRack, RollaStep, and so much more! In addition to our extensive inventory of access solutions, we also provide our clients with incredible services like preventative maintenance, installations, and turnkey services. So if you’re looking for a safe and convenient way to navigate your warehouse or facility, Northern Platforms is here to help. Contact our team today to learn more about our industrial catwalk platforms and services!
Every year numerous worksites and facilities across Canada experience significant safety risks and accidents due to a lack of spill prevention systems and safety training. It’s not worth risking your employees’ health and having costly fines looming over your business’s head. Instead, consider a spill containment solution from Northern Platforms in Leduc, Alberta. Our team understands your operations’ many challenges regarding spill prevention and safe access solutions. Our team can assist you in determining the best possible safety solutions for your facility. Below we’ll discuss how preventing spills is the first step of your spill containment system, along with some of the different spill containment solutions available from Northern Platforms. Keep reading to find out more!
Prevention is a Priority
The first step in implementing a spill containment plan is ensuring liquid storage best practices are followed in your facility. Your business should utilize containment equipment to prevent accidental spills after leaks, cracks, or fissures occur in the original container. Your business’s maintenance personnel should regularly inspect containers and safety equipment to ensure they’re in good working order. Any issues discovered should be reported and logged to make the necessary repairs. When conducting a spill containment inspection, your crew should be on the lookout for the following:
Drip Marks, Pooling, or Puddling
Any leaks or holes at connection points
Corrosion or Degradation
Slow drips or tracking paths
Any other signs of equipment failure or malfunction
Your facility and employees need to have a spill prevention procedure in place. Implementing spill containment systems, safety protocols, and maintenance investigations are a few key ways you can keep your employees and worksite safe. At Northern Platforms, our team can assist you in selecting the optimal spill containment system for your site.
Be Prepared for the Unexpected
If your main form of containment fails, having a secondary containment system in place is your next line of defense against accidental spills. In the event of an undetected leak, drip, or spill, secondary spill containment will help stop the spread of the fluid. Using both active and passive spill containment methods is the best way to ensure your facility and workers are protected. Below are some examples of active and passive spill containment solutions.
Active Spill Containment:
Drain Covers
Spill Kits
IBC containment
Drum containment
Temporary Berms or Containment Walls
Railcar track pans
Passive Spill Containment:
Pre-placed Absorbent Mats, Pads, and Socks
Drip Pans or Buckets
Spill Diversions or Underground Storage
Absorbent Safety Floor Mats
Active spill containment requires your staff to place the safety equipment during a spill or leak. Meanwhile, passive spill containment is placed around the tank or container before a spill occurs. At Northern Platforms, we carry a wide range of UltraTech Spill Containment Solutions available to ensure that your workers and facility are safe and compliant with OH&S and OHSA standards. By implementing a reliable spill containment system from a trusted brand like UltraTech, you can ensure the safety of your site.
UltraTech Spill Containment Solutions at Northern Platforms
To have a safe working environment, you need spill containment, secure access, and fall protection solutions from a reputable company like Northern Platforms. As Western Canada’s leading provider of spill containment solutions, Northern Platforms is proud to offer a wide range of products and services to ensure that your workplace is safe. We partner with industry leaders like UltraTech, RollaStep, YellowGate and more to bring you the best solutions you can customize to your operations. Are you ready to learn more about Northern Platforms’ massive inventory of UltraTech Spill Containment Solutions? Contact us today to find out more!
