MONKEYTOE LEARNING ACADEMY
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Attention: Structural Engineers and Architects and designers. Want to save time and money on your projects? How? By thinking ‘Monkeytoe’ early.
Often, we see access and mounting projects being completed using old fashioned designs and thought patterns. It’s time for a change.
When Monkeytoe is invited to submit a price for an access system that has already been designed, we then price (and win) the project based on our own innovative custom design, meaning in essence you have just paid for the design twice. We can change that.
Our Consultants and designers are experts at providing the simplest, most cost-effective solution for your access or mounting requirements, plus, we can take it from design to installation on site. One Company. A complete end-to-end solution.
It’s time to embrace new systems and make the most of the aluminium advantage:
- Lightweight (approximately ⅓ the weight of steel)
- Non-corrosive/marine-grade
- Aesthetically appealing
- Customization integrating with modular design and products
- Easy to work with
The impact of reducing the weight of your plant platforms, walkways and other mounting system can have a major positive reducing effect throughout your entire building design.
Time to move on – the thousands of customers that use Monkeytoe products can’t be wrong
Think Monkeytoe first for ‘everything better’
Don’t . . .
Use timber:
Timber is not the cost-effective option it seems to be. Harmful tannins will leach from it, corroding your roof. Repairing this damage alone could cost you more than installing a longer-lasting system. Timber can also become slippery when wet, especially if moss and mould start to grow. The damaged roof in the image was the result of timber walkways, and they had not been there for long.
Mistreat your roof:
Your roof is designed as a weather shield, not to support equipment or foot traffic. Don’t expect it to be able to support a walkway or platform system. Access systems that are incorrectly applied, or having no system and just walking over a roof, can cause untold damage to your building. Be smart and get a pre-approved system.
Use heavy structures:
While you might think they are safer, traditional heavy structures are costly, and add significant loading to roofing structure; they also require more penetration of the roof. This exposes your roof to the risk of further damage, and can void its warranty.
In comparison, Monkeytoe’s lightweight systems are sturdy and safe without the hassles and costs of building heavy installations. Large projects have been able to significantly reduce roof loading by using our system over traditional structures.
Do . . .
Have easy access:
We get to see many different systems as we travel the country. A recent site visit required me to crawl over a pipe, around a boiler and under a bar to reach the roof ladder. While I was agile enough to get there, it would be difficult for a tradesperson carrying any kit. Plan to have enough space to get equipment up and down. If space is of a premium, a fold-down ladder can be a great option.
Plan your access:
Remember the six Ps? Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. Planning well in advance where your access system goes can save you time and money and make your system more functional. Consider the safest and most practical routes, what needs to be accessed and what doesn’t. We often find people will take the shortest route, so plan your access accordingly. You can avoid cumbersome safety lines by applying handrails to walkways if your access is within 2m of the edge.
Raise your platform:
Walkways applied directly to the roof can create damage by trapping debris and holding moisture. This will cause rapid deterioration of your roof. Raising your walkways and platforms 200mm or more off the roof allows for water and debris to wash away, keeping your roof in good condition. The non-Monkeytoe walkway in the image was loaded with debris, while the Monkeytoe units nearby had none.
Make it secure:
If you aren’t accessing your roof internally, external ladders are a great option, but make sure they are secure and members of the public can’t access your roof. The new health and safety rules are much more stringent and require you to ensure all access is safe. With external ladders this can be done, for example, through a lockable cage.
Call Monkeytoe:
Monkeytoe roofing connections transfer all loading directly to the building structure, not the roof profile
We’ve been in the business for many years and can provide assistance at every stage of a project, from planning through to design, construction and install. Give us a call today to find out how we can be of assistance.
Admit it: you don’t go there often!
The roof, that is. Usually it is out of sight and out of mind. It is not until there is a problem or service workers need access to plant items that you realise the importance of safe access.
When items such as air conditioners fail, it is imperative that tradespersons can get up there quickly and safely. This is when a well-designed service access system is essential.
When designing or choosing the placement of walkways, here are five things to consider:
1 – People
Think of your service personnel. They spend many hours on the roof and will often have to get up and down many times, usually laden with heavy or cumbersome equipment. Safety line systems can be awkward and slow. Easy access, planned with service people specifically in mind, will help them work more efficiently and get the job done quicker.
2 – Heavy loads
Tools and heavy equipment are often required. Tradespersons weighed down with gear will quickly damage your roof if proper load-bearing walkways are not installed. These should be loaded back to the purlins so that the roof membrane is not damaged and the access is safe.
3 – Location, location
Consider the placement of walkways. Make sure they are installed in the most appropriate locations so they are actually used. Often we see ‘service tracks’ where service personnel have taken the shortest route. This is often in the form of damage to your roof. We have seen new roofs buckled with boot-prints.
4 – Getting up there
Make sure the access from ground level to your walkway is practical. Hauling gear up ladders is both dangerous and time-consuming. Stairs, while initially costing more, are a good long-term investment and will result in better servicing of your rooftop equipment. If roof hatches are required, allow sufficient room for drop-down stairs and for equipment.
5 – Know the rules
Many roof access walkways are non-compliance due to poor planning, or incorrect design and placement. When looking to install a walkway,
– Know where the substructures or purlins are located.
– Consider the pitch of the roof: if it is over 7 degrees, walkways need to be levelled to be compliant.
– Handrails must be provided if you are within 2m of a roof edge. This also applies to access ladders : you must provide handrails each side for a distance of 2m from a fall hazard.
– Finally – and this point is often missed – a walkway must be designed to 2.5kpa loadings, as per AS1657 – 2013.
