Manufacturing plants, warehouses and process facilities are full of elevated work areas: catwalks along conveyors, platforms around machines and tanks, mezzanine stairs and crossovers. Most are built by in-house maintenance crews or local fabricators from standard parts. SteelFront makes those industrial catwalk parts in Hutchinson, Kansas, including bolt-on stair treads, perforated walkway pans, toe boards, punched angle and grating clips, and sells them online with prices shown.
What makes plant walkways hard to get right
- Slip hazards from oil, coolant, water and dust on the walking surface.
- Falling objects: tools and parts kicked off an edge onto people or equipment below.
- Odd dimensions: walkways have to fit around existing machines, so lengths are rarely standard.
- Downtime: parts that can be bolted in during a shutdown are worth more than parts that need hot work permits.
Walking surfaces
The SteelFront walkway grating plank / pan is a perforated steel surface with grip holes for traction. It comes 26″ wide (13 or 14 gauge) or an extra-wide 48″ (13 gauge), in 19 lengths from 10″ to 120″, in raw or pre-galvanized steel. Actual lengths run 1/4″ short for installation clearance. If your plant already uses bar grating, bar grating saddle clips attach brackets and components without welding, using a 3/8″ hex bolt and flange nut.
Stair treads for platforms and mezzanines
All of our bolt-on treads are 9″ wide x 26″ long and bolt between stringers through side panels:
- Perforated grip tread (13 gauge) with the matching top step
- Formed-grated tread (12 gauge) with its top step
- Bar grating tread (11 gauge) with its top step. The open grating drains liquids and debris.
For welded stairs, the weld-on perforated tread comes in ten configurations, from 4″ x 24″ to 11-1/2″ x 30″, with 1″ to 2-1/2″ legs. Use a pitch plate (13 gauge) to splice two stair sections or add an extension.
When you lay out a stair, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.25 requires standard stairs at 30 to 50 degrees, risers no taller than 9.5″, treads at least 9.5″ deep, and at least 22″ of width between vertical barriers. Riser heights and tread depths must be uniform between landings. Landings must be at least as wide as the stair and at least 30″ deep.
Edges: toe boards and rails
Under 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1), any walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge 4 feet or more above a lower level needs fall protection, typically a guardrail with a top rail at 42″ (±3″) per 1910.29(b). Where people work or pass below, toeboards are required to protect against falling objects. OSHA 1910.29(k) sets the minimums: 3.5″ high, no more than 0.25″ clearance, no opening larger than 1″, and 50 lb of resistance. SteelFront toe boards are 4″ tall:
- Bent-leg (flange) toe board: 13 or 14 gauge, 1″ or 1-1/2″ leg, 10″ to 120″ long
- Perforated toe board: no leg, two rows of holes for bolting directly to walkway uprights
Large handrail gussets connect rails to their support angles.
Framing without welding
Roll-formed punched angle (1-1/2″ or 2″ legs, 1/8″) and A36 structural punched angle have 0.563″ holes on 2″ centers, sized for 1/2″ bolts. Single punch means holes in one leg, and double punch means both legs. Lengths run from 1′ to 20′. Pair them with hex nut and bolt sets and stanchion / leg support lugs for feet and bases. For heavier frames, C-channel, square tube and Schedule 40 pipe are also available.
Typical plant applications
- Conveyor walkways and crossovers
- Machine and maintenance access platforms
- Mezzanine and loft stairs
- Tank and process vessel platforms (see our tank fabricator parts)
- Hose management at wash-down stations with the universal hose reel bracket
The structural design of a platform, including spans, loads and connections, should come from a qualified engineer. SteelFront supplies the components. Browse Walkways & Stairways and Steel Angle.
For load-bearing framing, use A36 structural angle iron. Compare options in types of angle iron.
Frequently asked questions
What are OSHA’s stair requirements for an industrial platform?
Under 29 CFR 1910.25, standard stairs must be installed at 30 to 50 degrees, with a maximum riser height of 9.5″, a minimum tread depth of 9.5″, and a minimum width of 22″ between vertical barriers. Each stair must support at least five times the normal anticipated live load, and never less than a 1,000 lb concentrated load.
What are the OSHA toe board requirements?
29 CFR 1910.29(k) requires toeboards at least 3.5″ high, no more than 0.25″ above the walking surface, solid or with no opening larger than 1″, and able to withstand 50 lb applied downward or outward. SteelFront toe boards are 4″ tall.
How wide are your walkway pans?
26″ (13 or 14 gauge) and 48″ (13 gauge), in lengths from 10″ to 120″. The actual length is 1/4″ shorter than listed to allow for installation.
Bolt-on or weld-on stair treads?
Bolt-on treads have side panels with holes for bolting to the stringer. They’re quick to install and replace, and come in raw, pre-galvanized or hot dip galvanized. Weld-on perforated treads have no side panels, come in ten size and leg configurations, and ship raw for welding.
When does a platform need fall protection?
Under 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1), employees on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge 4 feet or more above a lower level must be protected from falling, for example with a guardrail system.