Custom Work Platforms: Get Your Job Done Right!

Custom Work Platforms: The Perfect Way to Get Your Job Done Right

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A variety of industries from aerospace to public transportation use platforms to help their employees work in tough to reach areas. However, it is very unlikely that the same platform used in both industries. In fact, within every facility, there's likely a variety of different work platforms that are needed (or could help) with every facility. And there are several factors that can go into determining the right layout and design for your specific application. And that's why it can be so important to work with a custom work platform manufacturer!

Panel Built, Inc. does much more than simply fabricate work platforms and steel mezzanine systems. Our mission is, "To Solve Our Customers' Space Needs With Excellence and Great Customer Service." That mean's listening to them and understanding the space issues that they are currently facing in their facility. And then, designing and engineering the structure that best meets their needs.

In this post, we will go over some of the different custom work platform solutions we've provided to make our customers' work smarter and safer!

Mezzanine Work Platform — Multiple-Custom Work Platforms for Lockheed Martin

Custom Shaped Work Platforms

First and foremost, we are going to get you to provide you with the work platform that is in the right shape and layout for your unique application. Now, this can mean a lot of things depending on what your particular use-case is. For example, take this series of work platforms throughout their facility for their C-5 cargo plane. The project took years to plan out every detail of the platforms to allow proper access and maintenance to nearly all aspects of the plane. Overall, the fully custom project featured over 16,000 sq. ft. of custom work platforms sitting up to 20 ft above their facility floor. The platforms were designed to fit behind the wings of the plane with expandable decking to allow for work directly on the aircraft.

Even though the project was entirely custom and required meticulous attention to detail from Panel Built and our dealer Conveyor & Drives, together we worked to make the entire project a complete success. On the project, Conveyor & Drives' Jerry Alverson stated, "After three years of planning, everything came together and was a success thanks to Panel Built, my crew, and Lockheed Martin.”

Custom Cutouts for Work Platforms

Like the C-5 Cargo Plane work platform example, many of these platforms are specifically designed to fit next to a piece of equipment or machinery. However, in many cases, the work platform may need to fit around the equipment, where the equipment sits entirely within the footprint of the platform. In this case, Panel Built can help you design a structure that has a cutout within its decking to fit your piece of equipment.

Installation of a Work Platform with Cutouts for Varying Tank Sizes

The picture above shows the installation of one of these work platforms. The platform itself utilizes beam to beam connections with special circular cutouts for each individual tank. Once the platform's diamond plate decking is laid into place, there will be a small gap between the decking itself and the tanks.

As an added bonus from this project, you will probably notice that the platform has additional structural steel above the deck. That will function as a gantry system once the structure is complete, allowing for the easy transport of materials over the tanks.

Custom Gates for Work Platforms

Odds are, if your company needs a custom-designed work platform, a cookie-cutter gate probably isn't going to work well with it. Many gate manufacturers have a very standardized set of safety gates that they offer for their platforms, and they're oftentimes unwilling or unable to work outside those confines. However, at Panel Built, we will proudly custom fabricate a gate for your specific need.

Slide Gate Mezzanine — This gate acts as a handrail when closed and can slide completely open when needed.

Panel Built already offers a variety of different Gate Types for our mezzanines and work platforms. However, Panel Built also offers each of the gate systems in custom dimensions as well. Being able to use custom-sized gates in your work platforms is important, especially in cases where the platform is squeezing into a tight area or fitting around a piece of machinery. Panel Built swing gates, lift out gates, and slide gates allow your work platform to be completely enclosed with seamless integration into the standard handrail while still providing an opening for workers when needed.

Customed Paint for Work Platforms

Exterior Work Platform — Exterior work platform with custom painted stair treads, columns, beams, and railing

One aspect that many customers would not consider when purchasing a work platform is the capability of the manufacturer to provide custom paint or powder coat to the structure. The safety standards in most facilities require specific colors for a work platform's railing and other components. In most instances, a 'Safety Yellow" will be what's required for the systems railing as it's the OSHA standard. However, this is not always the case. Many facilities would prefer their new work platform match the existing color scheme in their facility. And Panel Built is the perfect work platform manufacturer to work with to make this happen.

Although Panel Built uses six standard color options for our mezzanine systems and work platforms, we are more than happy to provide your facility with a platform in any RAL color option. Just provide us with the color you are looking for, and we will do our best to provide you with the best color option to match it!

Panel Built, Inc. is a modular construction company with nearly 25 years experience in the industry. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring each project we work on caters to each customers' specific needs. We have knowledgable sales and engineering teams that will work with you to design and configure a work platform that works best for you.