Kingsford Smith Drive in Brisbane is one of the major arterial roads that connect the airport to the CBD. That’s why, in anticipation of growing traffic volumes, the road is being upgraded – a widening from four to six lanes and improved cycling, indented bus stops and pedestrian facilities.
At the widening points, between Theodore Street Eagle farm and Cooksley Street Hamilton, excavations needed to be made to accommodate the new lanes, and at some points create a retaining wall function along the land-side or the road.
These pits are lined with shotcrete walls, some of which, need to be scaled by workers daily. The pitch angle, combined with a slippery post-rain surface, makes for a very dangerous fall scenario.
Contractor Lendlease commissioned Australian portable height access maker SafeSmart Access to solve the problem.
SafeSmart already had the solution on hand in their standard range – AdjustaStairs.
Used for many applications, from vehicle access to temporary staircase access in construction, AdjustaStairs are made from high grade aluminium for easy two-man installation and weather resistance. Self-levelling treads accommodate a perfectly-flat and stable step at a variance of pitch angles, and collapsible handrails make it easy and fast for Lendlease to decommission and redeploy in another location.
Made in New Zealand and compliant with AS/NZS 1576 : 2010, the work stairs securely fit the batter at the top and bottom, making it easy for workers to ascend and descend, saving time onsite.
The improved safety and efficiency provided by AdjustaStairs has seen Lendlease put in further orders for similar projects around South-East Queensland. SafeSmart’s Nathan Joyce is seeing an uplift in the use of these types of stairs across all types of projects. “We have supplied these for use in anything from emergency waterway exits to stair voids in commercial building construction,” says Nathan. “And all the feedback is very positive. I think AdjustaStairs will become a staple product for these types of applications; you’ll start seeing them everywhere in the next couple of years.”
