Big Foot Systems has supplied a custom safe access solution and HD Beams rooftop plant support to Coca-Cola Enterprises Great Britain (GB) at its Wakefield manufacturing plant.
Coca-Cola Enterprises GB wanted to increase the production hall cooling ventilation capacity, looking to add two new air handling units to the existing lightweight standing seam roof and so looked to Big Foot Systems to provide a plant and service support strategy that would eliminate the need to penetrate the roof.
The lightweight roof construction posed an additional challenge for the project, but Big Foot’s technical team was able to propose several solutions for consideration, leading to a fully-developed solution using its HD Beam product to span the main rafters and the purlins, while taking the load back to the main rafters. The solution also provided safe access for maintenance of the newly installed AHUs.
To assist the smooth installation, Big Foot’s technical team carried out several site surveys. The engineered design and technical support by Big Foot allowed HE Barnes to provide a detailed lifting plan and method statement to the Coca-Cola Enterprises health and safety team.
Big Foot’s technical team was also on site for the frame erection and AHU crane lift to the roof, utilising a 250 tonne crane with a 60m reach. Thanks to meticulous planning and preparation, the full installation was carried out seamlessly within five hours of the crane being set up.
An HD Beam is a non-penetrative support frame for chillers, AHUs, packaged plant, generators, pipes and steels. It is a robust but flexible solution where space may be limited, or there is a requirement to position directly over existing structural roof steels. Weight is then evenly distributed across the specified quantity of HD Beams. It is also height adjustable to maintain a level system on roof falls up to 5 degrees.
