Whatever industry you’re in, at some stage it seems we all need to get to something higher than we can reach. Ever stood on the office chair to change a light bulb?
Most of us resort to a trusty ladder we have tucked away somewhere, and these are also used for more frequent tasks, servicing machines in workshops, picking stock in stores, maintenance, painting, etc.
The Safety Authorities, however, now view the standard ladders as unsafe to work from, and as a result, all manner of ladder/platform/handrail arrangements are appearing on the market as alternatives.
The biggest frustration is that the platform ladder works fine for one height job, but what about the others? Back to working off the side of the ladder that leads to the platform?
The scale of this problem was identified by Equiptec back in 2010 at a Queensland Mining Company. Their yard was full of fixed height platforms of all shapes and sizes and their frustration was clearly conveyed... “Every time we purchase a new machine we need yet another size platform to work safely from. What we need are platforms that can vary in height, but not change in footprint.” It was a hard ask at the time, but Equiptec set to, and developed the VRS. The result? All platforms (the whole lot) where replaced with just two models! The Mining Company was completely blown away.
VRS, an acronym of Vertical Rise Steps, has now grown to answer multiple challenges in many more industries. A diverse fleet in three different ranges now covers almost any application from 700mm to 5m platform heights, from workshops to stores to construction sites.
The Giraffe series (models from 1.4m-5.0m) was the original. These popular large staircase/cantilevered platforms are now a vital part of many companies plant. They are often preferred to scissor lifts as they offer continual access to ground.
The Monkey series was next. Steps instead of stairs give this range a smaller footprint, and even greater maneuverability. Awesome adjustability (0.9m to 3.1m in two models) means these are very popular in transport/equipment workshops, warehouses and factory applications. This was confirmed recently when a nationwide earthmoving equipment supply/maintenance company ordered VRS Monkey Platforms for all their workshops.
Finally the new baby. It’s a squirrel! Nimble, quick and agile, as you’d expect a squirrel to be. From 0.7m to 1.44m, compact and lightweight, these fit through doorways and into lifts with ease, redefining height Access efficiency in both construction and industrial applications.
And there’s much more to come. Watch this space!
Whatever your height issue, take an efficient step forward… contact Equiptec.
0800 84 00 00, sales@equiptec.co.nz, www.equiptec.co.nz
