As we discussed last week, working on a ship has its dangers and these dangers are nothing to take lightly. Today we discuss accessing a ship safely with fall prevention equipment including Ship Towers and Gangways.
Ship Tower Gangway Systems are a safe and versatile way to obtain access to multiple levels on different types of ships from barges to super tankers. These towers can be constructed with fixed, elevator or telescopic gangways making workers’ access safer and easier. Substandard means of access can lead to slips and falls caused by standing water or corroded materials. Whether trying to gain access or loading and unloading, safety is the thread that connects all ship activities.
The great thing about tower gangway systems is their versatility. They can be constructed and mounted to meet your company’s specific needs.
• Marine grade aluminum construction provides strength and corrosion-resistance while remaining lightweight.
• Tower can be adjusted to compensate for variations in tide and ship equipment.
• Choose crane, hydraulic or pneumatic driven systems.
• Slip-resistant, self-leveling stairs with open serrated design allows water to drain continually maximizing safe footing.
Even the mounting options are versatile:
• Track mounting lets your workers access one or more barges since the tower can roll up and down the dock.
• Tower mounting creates a fixed position for loading and unloading product and equipment.
• Pivot mounting permits access to several ship locations but it’s limited to the reach from the fixed mounting point.
Barge Gangways provide safe access from dock to barge. No need for towers since there’s only one level. Barge access systems usually require custom fitting to docks and around any existing obstructions. That’s not a problem for Carbis.
If your company’s ship access equipment is inadequate or outdated it’s up to you, the employer, to make sure it gets fixed or replaced. A proper barge gangway is OSHA compliant, provides sure footing, is made of marine grade aluminum and can adjust to variations in tide and weights of barge equipment. A barge gangway can be made to operate by crane, winch, hydraulic or pneumatic drives.
Barge gangways have several mounting options similar to ship towers:
• Pivot mounting lets workers access multiple points on a barge but it’s limited to the reach from its fixed position.
• Float mode lets the barge drift under the gangway when water levels change.
• With track mounting, the gangway can roll up and down the dock for more wide-ranging access.
Contact Carbis today and find out how we can help you update your ship access and loading needs for compliance and safety purposes. You’ll be glad you did!
