Semmco Launches Variable Height Swivel Top Maintenance Access Platform
Semmco, part of the HAKI Safety Group, has debuted the world’s first variable height working platform with an adjustable swivel top that enhances safety for both main door and windshield access.
Sliding and adjustable handrails allow this design to help maintenance engineers access areas such as:
- Wings
- Fuselage
- Tail sections
The main door and windshield of narrow-bodied aircraft, such as the Airbus A320, incorporates the curvature of the nose section which can pose safety risks to maintenance crews when using traditional platforms for working at height.
Semmco’s design team assessed the safety issues for AMTs working on this section of the plane. In response, they designed a variable height platform with a unique swivel top that lets operators adjust the platform’s fit, according to which part of the aircraft they are working on.
This enables the maintenance crew to reduce gaps between the platform and the aircraft, improving fall protection risks and reducing the chances of materials or tools falling through any gaps and creating hazards for those working on the ground below.
The platform is made from aluminum and has a steel chassis. It can perform at heights from eight to 14 feet using an in-built hydraulic pump to adjust the height. This new platform also uses variable handrails to add safety features for different height access points.
Managing Director, Semmco Group Will McOnie said, “Working at height accidents remains among the most common and serious in the US and the importance of providing the right fall prevention equipment is critical for the aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul sector.”
McOnie continued, “Working with our customers, we identified a particular risk when carrying out main door and windscreen maintenance on narrow body A320 aircraft. We have designed a solution that will ensure engineers have the safest and most efficient solution for working on different aircraft access points.”
“We are deeply committed to quality, safety, reliability and innovation. Our PAX Variable Height Main Door and Windshield platform is proof of that,” added McOnie.