It should go without saying that safety is always be the number one priority when considering facade access solutions, and the quality of the parts employed in every building maintenance unit is a key ingredient in ensuring the safety of building residents, BMU operators and the general public.
Bearing this in mind, it’s important for BMU owners and building managers to take this responsibility seriously and make themselves aware of the potential risks of harm that come with allowing sub-standard parts and equipment to slip under their radar.
Taking just one example, hoisting ropes and safety ropes might be overlooked as a less technical, less engineering-heavy part of a building maintenance unit, but the quality of the parts is obviously vital in ensuring the BMU performs reliably and safely. In order to meet their responsibilities and protect the safety of their people, BMU owners and managers should arrange for a regular program of checks and maintenance to be carried out by trained technicians. This should include inspections and measuring of the all-important ropes every three months, in addition to any other testing or upkeep recommended by the original equipment manufacturer. Where replacement of ropes is necessary, once again this should be carried out promptly by a trained technician and the replacement parts should be sourced according to the recommendations of the original equipment manufacturer.
Throughout the process of purchasing, installation and ongoing maintenance, BMU owners and managers need to satisfy themselves that every part involved in their building maintenance unit is of sufficient quality and will meet the required safety standards. In practice, this means sourcing products and parts from reliable manufacturers, ensuring that products are tested and installed by qualified people from the original manufacturers or another dependable service provider, confirming that the product matches the specifications of the original manufacturer and that all the necessary certifications for the product type are in place.
In Australia, the relevant rules are covered by Australian Standard AS 1418 which applies to cranes including hoists and winches and, in this instance, to building maintenance units. As far as ropes are concerned, the standards require that safety of the part should be ascertained based on the minimum breaking load and unfactored suspended load. Reputable manufacturers, such as those CoxGomyl work with, are able to demonstrate their parts meet these requirements through the use of high quality materials and production techniques.
More broadly speaking, CoxGomyl’s commitment to the highest standards of safety extends to every supplier we work with and the quality of parts which we demand in the production of every BMU we provide. As a minimum standard, all CoxGomyl machines comply with the 2006/42/EC European Directive of Machinery and all our BMUs comply with the European harmonized standard EN1808 (safety requirements on suspended access equipment). As a global BMU provider, this is true of any machine installed anywhere in the world and we are well placed with the knowledge and expertise to comply with all the relevant safety requirements and standards which apply locally.
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