Is your warehouse or industrial manufacturing facility set up for success? Industrial catwalks from Northern Platforms can increase the safety and accessibility of your worksite. Our line of ErectaStep access platforms can dramatically improve safety and productivity on your worksite. They allow your employees a better navigational path across your site in a safe manner. Below we’ll cover a more in-depth look at what industrial catwalks are, some safety tips for using catwalks, and how Northern Platforms can assist you with a range of services. Continue reading to find out more!

What are Industrial Catwalks?

If you operate in the construction or industrial manufacturing industries, you’re likely already aware of industrial catwalks. However, even those who work within those industries often confuse catwalks and scaffolding. While both are structural safety equipment that you can use indoors or outdoors, there are a few key differences between them.

An industrial catwalk is a permanent structure primarily used as a walkway for observations or navigation throughout a site. A scaffold is a temporary structure used primarily for stationary work like painting or repairs. Many operations rent scaffolding as a short-term measure to increase safety, productivity, and accessibility. While renting scaffolding can work great in the interim, those rental costs stack up over time. Industrial catwalks are a better and more affordable long-term solution for safe access and navigation as they’re built to last.

At Northern Platforms, our team can assist you in mapping out a catwalk plan for your warehouse or manufacturing facility. We can even show you our demo trailer to see our line of industrial catwalks from ErectaStep for yourself. Once our team has assisted you in determining your operation’s preferred catwalk layout, there are a few safety tips your employees should be aware of.

Advice from the Safe Access Experts

At Northern Platforms, we take safety and accessibility very seriously. Regarding industrial catwalks, there are a few safety tips your crew should be aware of to ensure the highest level of protection while working on your catwalks. The following are a few pieces of advice your operations should follow when using industrial catwalks:

• Only trained and authorized personnel should have access to work or navigate your catwalks.
• Before staff are authorized to access the catwalks, they should be appropriately trained in fall protection and provided adequate safety gear. This is especially important if your catwalk has areas with low clearance, as personnel should be wearing a hard hat to prevent accidental head injuries.
• All tools should be securely attached to your person when walking on the catwalk. That way, you can prevent anything from falling and causing an accident or injury to someone below.
• Suppose specific tasks require your staff to lean over or through the catwalk. In that case, your operations should use guardrails and fall protection equipment to ensure safety.
• Avoid using planks, bars, ladders, or other equipment to increase your height while on catwalks.
• Do not leave loose parts or equipment unattended on the catwalk when not in use, as items could fall and cause injury to someone below.
• Regularly inspect your catwalks to ensure all their connections are secure, closed, and locked and that the catwalk is still in safe working order.

Northern Platforms is proud to offer inspection and preventative maintenance services to guarantee that all of your safe access solutions are, in fact, safe! After your equipment is inspected, our team will provide you with a detailed report, including how we can address any issues we discover. No matter the necessary frequency of your inspections, Northern Platforms is here to help ensure your worksite is safe and accessible for your crew.

Your Canadian Choice for Industrial Catwalks

Since 2002, Northern Platforms has been Western Canada’s premier choice for safe access solutions. With a range of gangways, work platforms, loading arms, and more, our team has provided businesses and industries with the access solutions they need to keep their workers and site safe. Based in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms is proud to be a family-owned and operated business offering additional services like turnkey installations. So from our family to yours, make safety a top priority and partner with Northern Platforms today! Contact our team to learn more about industrial catwalks and our range of additional services.