Bespoke Access Platforms
Static and mobile access platforms designed around your site, for work on plant, machinery and high racking. Free design service. Quote within one hour.
Not Sure What You Need?
Send a sketch, a photo or your measurements. We draw it up free and quote within one hour.
Bespoke Access Platforms: A Fixed or Mobile Place to Work at Height
A bespoke access platform gives a stable, handrailed place to work where a ladder, tower or off-the-shelf fabricated platform doesn't suit the job. They are used for maintenance, repair and access around plant and machinery, and for reaching high racking in warehouses. We design static platforms and mobile platforms on castors, in steel or aluminium, up to 3m high. Where a step-over takes people over an obstacle, an access platform is somewhere to stand and work.
The tube, fittings and parts such as castors, stair treads, flooring and toe boards are held in stock. Send us measurements and photos, or your engineer's drawing, and our free design service will put together the layout and parts list. We quote within one hour during working hours, and tube is cut to length free.
Static or Mobile
| Type | What it is | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Static platform | Fixed in one place, with handrails, toe boards and gates as needed | Inspection, servicing and repair around plant and machinery |
| Mobile platform | Platform on castors, moved to where the work is | Warehouse access, such as stock picking and maintenance at high racking |
For a task that comes round again and again, a platform that is always on site can take the place of repeat hire of powered access such as scissor lifts or cherry pickers, which do not always suit indoor spaces or tight aisles.
What We Supply for a Platform
- Key clamp fittings in malleable iron to BS EN 1562, hot-dip galvanised to BS EN ISO 1461. Powder coat to RAL colours is available on request, subject to quantity.
- Galvanised tube cut to your lengths free. Tube comes in 3.2m and 6.4m lengths to BS EN ISO 1461.
- Flooring in high grade nylon treads.
- Self-closing safety gates for the access opening. The gate closes automatically behind the user, so the opening is never left open.
- Ancillary parts such as castors, stair treads, extra handrails and toe boards.
- Steel or aluminium. Both suit indoor and outdoor use.
Not Sure What You Need?
Send a sketch, a photo or your measurements. We draw it up free and quote within one hour.
Tube Sizes
| Size | Tube outside diameter | Nominal bore |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 26.9mm | 3/4" |
| 6 | 33.7mm | 1" |
| 7 | 42.4mm | 1 1/4" |
| 8 | 48.3mm | 1 1/2" |
| 9 | 60.3mm | 2" |
Choose the tube size first: it is the main structural component. When tightened to 29 ft lb (4.1 kgm), a slip load of 900kg can be obtained on each screw. See how to choose the right key clamp size.
Guardrail Upright Centres
The spacing of the uprights around a platform edge sets the load the guardrail can take. These are the maximum upright centres for guardrail 1100mm high, BS EN 10255 tube:
| Design load | 33.7 x 3.2mm | 42.4 x 3.2mm | 42.4 x 4.0mm | 48.3 x 3.2mm | 48.3 x 4.0mm | 48.3 x 5.0mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 360 N/m | 666mm | 1120mm | 1305mm | 1496mm | 2114mm | 2778mm |
| 740 N/m | 324mm | 545mm | 635mm | 728mm | 1028mm | 1824mm |
| 1500 N/m | 160mm | 269mm | 313mm | 359mm | 507mm | 900mm |
Figures based on the maximum permissible bending moment of the upright tube. Rails need only be 3.2mm thick and the same diameter as the upright. They are a guide to product selection only. The design load, layout and structure of your platform must be checked and signed off by whoever designs and installs it.
Standards and Design Limits
- Each platform is designed to suit its application, in line with the relevant criteria from EN 1004:2004, BS 1139-6:2005 or PAS 250, depending on how and where it will be used.
- Platforms can be designed up to 3m high.
- Fittings are malleable iron to BS EN 1562, hot-dip galvanised to BS EN ISO 1461.
Sign-off of the finished platform sits with whoever installs it.
Where Access Platforms Are Used
- Warehouses and distribution centres. Mobile platforms with castors for stock picking and maintenance at high racking.
- Manufacturing plants. Static platforms around plant and machinery for inspections, servicing and repairs, instead of moving machines or putting up scaffolding.
- Logistics and service areas where access is needed often and at the same height.
- Mezzanines. Platforms work with pallet gates, full height gates and handrail. See safe mezzanine access.
What Our Design Service Does
Our free design service turns your measurements, photos or sketch into a platform layout and parts list: which fittings, which tube size, which gate. If you already have a design from your engineer, send it and we will quote the components it calls for.
Platforms are modular and mobile platforms are delivered largely pre-assembled, which makes them straightforward to put together, repair or take apart. If your access needs change later, the platform can often be modified rather than replaced. Talk to us and we will quote the extra parts.
How to Order
- Decide static or mobile, and the working height.
- Measure the area and take photos, or get the layout from your engineer.
- Note what the platform needs: handrails, toe boards, a gate, stair treads, castors.
- Send it through request a quote, or call 01905 779944.
- We quote the fittings, tube cut to length and ancillaries within one hour in working hours.
Why Buy from Fisher Alvin
- Components in stock, with next-day delivery on stock orders.
- Free design service for the layout and parts list.
- Free tube cutting to your lengths.
- Quote within one hour, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
- Founded in Birmingham in 1912, now based in Cradley Heath.
Access Platform Questions
Do you design access platforms?
Yes. Our free design service draws up a layout and parts list from your measurements and photos. Sign-off of the finished platform sits with whoever installs it.
Can you make a mobile access platform?
Yes. We design static platforms and mobile platforms on castors. Mobile platforms suit warehouse work such as stock picking and maintenance at high racking.
How high can a bespoke access platform be?
Platforms can be designed up to 3m high.
Which standards are access platforms designed to?
Each platform is designed in line with the relevant criteria from EN 1004:2004, BS 1139-6:2005 or PAS 250, depending on how and where it will be used.
What do you supply for an access platform?
Key clamp fittings, galvanised tube cut to length, nylon tread flooring, self-closing safety gates and ancillary parts such as castors, stair treads and toe boards.
What tube sizes are available?
Five sizes: 26.9mm, 33.7mm, 42.4mm, 48.3mm and 60.3mm outside diameter, sizes 5 to 9.
How much load does a fitting take?
When tightened to 29 ft lb (4.1 kgm), a slip load of 900kg can be obtained on each screw. The capacity of a whole platform depends on its design and must be checked by whoever signs it off.
Can the platform be coloured?
Fittings are galvanised as standard and can be powder coated to RAL colours on request, subject to quantity.
Access Platforms Guides and Related Ranges
Guides: bespoke access platform design for industrial sites, modular access platforms in industry, safe mezzanine access: barriers, gates and platforms, industrial access walkways, why self-closing safety gates matter and how to choose the right key clamp size.
Related: step-over platforms, bespoke step-overs, key clamps and galvanised tube, galvanised key clamp tube, self-closing gates, pallet gates and key clamp handrail kits.
Recent projects
A few of the jobs we have supplied. Every one was quoted, drawn up and delivered by the Fisher Alvin team.
Tell Us the Job. We Quote Within One Hour.
In working hours, with a free design service if you need the layout drawn up. Or call 01905 779944.