Roofing
‘Access all Areas’ - Safely
For over 25 years Bilco UK has been supplying the UK market with a wide range of high quality access products including roof hatches, floor doors and also smoke vents (Natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilators). In the last few years the range has been expanded to meet the full access solution and now includes ladders, both fixed vertical and also retractable ladders which allow the specifier to select the full access solution from one manufacturer. The recently introduced roof safety products complete the total range solution by offering roof walkways, step over platforms, and roof edge protection meaning that Bilco offers a safe access to the roof and also now a means of staying safe whilst on the roof.
Access requirements have changed significantly over the last few years with roof space being increasingly used to house plant and equipment that might previously have been inside a building. Saleable/useable space inside buildings has been freed up by placing plant on flat roofs and also the growth in new technologies has seen the roof being an increasingly busy area with things such as telecoms equipment, air conditioning, and solar panels being installed on the roof. All of these things mean that regular, safe access is required and must be considered by the architects and specifiers at the design stage to ensure the building is fit for purpose. The design of roof space for recreational use (such as roof gardens etc) and also in some instances as an escape route, has also seen an increase and as such considerations must be given to providing safe access for members of the public, not just for maintenance engineers.
From the design point of view, this increased and varied use of roofs presents a challenge when considering what type of access should be specified. Bilco has spent a substantial amount of time working with architects and other industry bodies to try to help simplify the specification process. The introduction of ‘Bilco Assist’ (an online web tool) helps guide the specifier through the process of selecting the safest, most appropriate and cost effective means of accessing the roof. Whether it be a simple roof access hatch with a fixed vertical ladder to allow infrequent maintenance access to a flat roof area, or a more substantial access hatch to allow the use of a fixed service stair for frequent use, Bilco Assist will help the architect make the best choice.
BILCO UK In addition to the web
assistance, Bilco also continues to offer a technical advice service from its UK offices and can also in certain situations arrange for a site visit to give specific guidance for a project. As part of the ongoing commitment to helping educate the market, Bilco also delivers a range of CPD presentations, including the RIBA approved ‘Access all Areas’ which covers all aspects of safe access through the floor, roof, and also natural smoke ventilation. The presentation also looks at how a smoke vent can also be used for occasional access providing it has been considered at the design stage (vent positioning on a stairwell for example with the use of a fixed vertical ladder).
Too often, we have been called to site or have seen plans which propose an access solution which is clearly inappropriate (and in some instances unsafe). Roof access is often ‘delegated’ to the contractor to decide the specification but it should be an important part of the architects design considerations and at Bilco we will try to make this as simple as possible. Whether it be ‘Bilco Assist’, a CPD at an architects practice, or simply the fact we offer all our products with both CAD and BIM, we will try to ensure safe, appropriate, specification is easier.
TEL: 01284 701696 57
WWW.BILCOUK.COM
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