It comes down to how much you are willing to spend for service access and maintenance requirements for access.

Typically a walkway along one side is all that is required. On large conveyors maintenance could utilize a bucket truck or sometimes called "cherry pickers" to service from the off walway side. ■

Originally Posted by DmitryM

Dear All,

Can please anyone help with information.



What is general practice ( or standard value ) for deciding when service platforms should be installed on both sides along belt conveyor, or just on one side.

In curent case: belt conveyor is located several meters above ground level.

Hoping for respond

In the absence of any regulatory requirement, there is just one question you have to answer. "Can the conveyor have its routine service carried out from just one side"? On a belt conveyor, this is really just idler roll replacement (quite common) and idler frame replacement (rare). You need to look into OH&S/OSHA requirements here as well. ■

Flat return rollers for belts wider than 1400mm generally weigh more than the accepted statutory lifting limit of 25kg. One end can be inserted from the nearside of a single walkway but the far side location requires the person to work in restricted access conditions, which in some industries can be very strict.i.e. a lookout might be mandatory. As mentioned in the previous replies it is a slightly subjective decision. Elevation is irrelevant: except for dropping items because of adverse workspace situations.

BUT

Always aim for walkways both sides to cover yourself. If you have one conveyor with dual walkways and all the rest are single then if something drastic happens on the single sided operations you will be asked "If we have double walkways there: why not here?' It is a fundamental requirement to proved ample "safe" access and egress throughout a plant.■

Dimitry,

Some of the things to consider would be the amount of maintenance needed on the components. Are the idlers sealed or greasable, does the conveyor have belt wipers, gravity take up location, access to drive motor and the like. I've seen service platforms on one side, on both sides, partially up one side, and none at all. As a service person, changing an idler without a walk way is tough. Its a trade off between ease of service and cost. This topic might be better suited for the conveyor forum, btw. ■

Originally Posted by DmitryM

Dear All,

Can please anyone help with information.



What is general practice ( or standard value ) for deciding when service platforms should be installed on both sides along belt conveyor, or just on one side.

In curent case: belt conveyor is located several meters above ground level.

Hoping for respond

To ALL,

There is a product (DunnEasy Idler Asembly)(DunnEasy) I have patented that allows all maintenance to be carried out from a single side by a single person, and with the correct protocols in place, could be undertaken whilst the belt is running and in Safety as no part of the body or tooling or equipment enters into the hazardous areas inside the stringer confines. The product has been in use since 2006 in a 5000+ tonnes per hour extra heavy duty application. The strength of the product is such the actual structure module hangers broke under overload condition without any damage to the DunnEasy.

I have also another patented product (OneFits Idler Roll) OneFits that is a stronger but lighter due to the Shaft-less design. This OneFits Roll is also Quieter, [University tested], and is Weigh Scale due to the manufacturing techniques employed. These rolls will shortly all be manufactured in my proprietary Stainless Steel or Poly carbonate shell. OneFits roll fits all shaft mounting/s with a cheap adaptors or catenary links.

To view the products listed, visit the website http://www.tamecservices.com.au ■

Walkway one side or both sides is the customer's choice. We have a customer that chose no permanent access along our high angle conveyor, choosing to service it entirely from a zoom boom platform. Another customer chose hoisted platforms both sides. I agree with those that relate the choice to the weight and handle-ability of of the equipment to be replaced. Without a customer spec to dictate we will typically provide one side access for elevated conveyors through 1400mm belt width and two side access for larger belt widths.

Joe Dos Santos ■

i have seen all examples in the field......none....i have seen lots of folks WALKING up the slippery belt with parts in hand......against all rules...but, you know people will do that.

One works......as long as you are NOT stretching across the belt to work on something ....."over there" but, now that defeats the SAFETY aspect of why we install walkways in the first place.

We have installed two, one on each side with cross over bridge on large, long stacking conveyors.....which makes most sense.....but, also is the HIGHEST CAPITAL COST.

Local regs definitely need to be checked first....to guide thru this maze. ■

800 mm on one side, 650 mm on otherside & around tail pulley & drive station 1m

Originally Posted by DmitryM

Dear All,

Can please anyone help with information.



What is general practice ( or standard value ) for deciding when service platforms should be installed on both sides along belt conveyor, or just on one side.

In curent case: belt conveyor is located several meters above ground level.

Hoping for respond

■