Scaffold round-up
The Scaffold & Access
Industry Association hosted
an eventful convention and
expo July 21-24 in Nashville.
ALH
was there and reports.
W
ith non-stop education sessions and
networking, it sure was hard to get
out and see live music July 21-24 in
Nashville when the Scaffold & Access Industry
Association hosted its annual convention and
exposition. But, alas, we were there for the SAIA
after all.
The annual event roped in more than 450
attendees, according to SAIA president Marty
Coughlin of Dependable Scaffolding, LLC. From
engaging sessions to the expo floor, there was
something for everyone.
Eric Schmidt of Betco Scaffold gave a detailed
presentation on an industrial tower project in
Texas.
Since 2012, Port Arthur in Texas has been
home to the world’s biggest steam cracker.
The site was a joint venture between BASF
and ATOFINA and was located in the high-risk
hurricane area in the Gulf of Mexico. Furnaces
heat crude oil and break it down into basic
chemicals used later to make adhesives,
varnishes and polystyrene.
Schmidt explained how one part of the
transformation process took place in an almost
301-foot tall tower. To carry out essential
maintenance work simultaneously on all six
landings of the tower, staff required 24-hour-a-
day access to the different levels.
Scaffolding was the first requirement to
provide sufficient space outside the tower for
arriving and departing materials. Schmidt said
Betco had the challenge of developing a specific
anchoring system so that the scaffolding could
be fastened to the steel frame of the tower.
But how under these conditions could staff
and materials be transported quickly and
effectively to the top? One possibility would
have been to use a crane. In that case, workers
would have had to climb ladders fixed directly
on the scaffolding up to a height of 301 feet.
Therefore BASF commissioned Houston
company Century Elevators to provide a
construction hoist, which was a GEDA PH 3240
SAIA REVIEW
Upcoming
SAIA events
COMMITTEE WEEK
Feb. 24-26
New Orleans, LA
ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
July 27-30
Austin, TX
for more information
From left to right: Mike
Russell, SAIA president elect;
Laurie Weber, SAIA executive
director and Tom Brewer, CEO
of Brewer Equipment.
38
ACCESS, LIFT & HANDLERS
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2013
