Given the current boom in construction activities in Dubai ' with many of the projects under construction being high-rise structures ' the demand for vertical access equipment is significant.
Al Laith Scaffolding, which introduced a fleet of HEK mast climbing work platforms three years ago, says it has had to increase its rental fleet by more than 700 per cent. The fleet has grown from six to 42 machines.
'Currently, the Al Laith fleet is consistently operating at 95 per cent utilisation, which is virtually as high as you can get because the machines have to be taken out of service for repair and maintenance,' says Tony Nobbs, manager, Al Laith Scaffolding. 'Such is the demand for our HEK work platforms that we will have to increase our fleet size considerably over the next 12 months if we are to continue meeting what appears to be an ever-increasing demand.'
The 190-m-high Capricorn Tower is typical of the projects to which Al Laith is supplying mast climbing work platforms as well as technical support and engineering services.
Being built at a cost of $37 million by Dubai Contracting Company for Union Properties, the 47-storey tower block comprises 32,000 sq m of apartments and offices. There is also an adjacent seven-storey car-park building and health club on a 940-sq m plot.
Work started in August 2001 and is scheduled for completion shortly. The tower is on one of the major projects currently in progress on Sheikh Zayed Road ' a major commercial area of Dubai.
The HEK MSM Super mast climbing work platforms are being used for installing curtain-walling, sunshades and screens. Because the curtain wall is double skinned and incorporates a sun screen which projects out from the facade, Al Laith had to find a cost-efficient solution to maintain a safe operating gap between the work platform edge and the facade at all times.
Technical engineers at Al Laith, together with HEK application engineers, devised an innovative solution using hinged, adjustable front deck extensions. This novel idea has worked very well and has allowed safe, unrestricted access to the facade at all times during the different installation processes. The deck can be adjusted quickly and safely at any time by simply 'unfolding' or 'folding back' the extension.
Another complication for the contractor is the inclined profile. However, HEK mast climbing work platforms have frequently demonstrated their adaptability to work at both negative and positive angles. The decks, up to 33 m long, feature short corner extensions to provide access to all parts of the building.
HEK MSM Super mast climbing workplatforms are designed for such applications. In twin mast configuration, the payload capacity is 4,000 kg and can be used for heights up to 200 m anchored at 6 to 8 m intervals.
Deck length can be up to 32.2 m (with special central Megadeck section). Travelling at 7 m per minute, the work platform can be positioned at the preferred working height for faster, safer and more productive working.
HEK says it has consistently proved the capability, over many years, of its range of mast climbing work platforms, transport platforms and material hoists on projects throughout the Arab world.
On the Capricorn Tower, in Dubai, the company has once again demonstrated its ability to engineer safe, reliable vertical access solutions to meet the architectural challenges of many projects in the area.
