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Tag Archives: fall protection

Custom Galvanized Steel Catwalk with Fall Protection at Wastewater Treatment Plant

At A-Mezz Industrial Structures we specialize in designing and manufacturing custom industrial access platforms and fall protection systems that keep your workers safe and operations running smoothly. One of our latest projects—an elevated galvanized steel catwalk system—was installed at a wastewater treatment plant to provide secure and compliant access for maintenance personnel working above large equipment.

A-Mezz galvanized steel catwalk platform provides safe elevated access with self-closing gates, fixed ladders, and a horizontal lifeline system for worker fall protection.

This project highlights how our design-build approach delivers tailored, OSHA-compliant solutions that enhance both safety and productivity in high-risk industrial environments.

Design-Build Catwalk Platform for Wastewater Facilities

Every facility has unique access challenges, especially in industrial settings like wastewater treatment plants, where equipment layouts, environmental hazards, and regulatory standards converge. That’s why we employed a design-build strategy to develop a custom catwalk system from concept through installation.

Our engineers worked directly with the client to evaluate site conditions, define access points, and design a durable steel platform that integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructure. The result? A heavy-duty elevated catwalk that enables maintenance crews to safely navigate the top of equipment while adhering to OSHA fall protection standards.

Key components of this project include:

Galvanized steel construction for corrosion resistance in a moisture-rich, chemical-heavy environment
Ladder access with self-closing safety gates at both ends
A fully integrated horizontal lifeline fall arrest system for two workers
OSHA-compliant yellow safety guardrails for maximum visibility and protection

Fall Protection: OSHA-Compliant and Worker-First

At A-Mezz, fall protection isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a core design principle. This catwalk platform was engineered with multiple layers of passive and active fall protection systems to keep maintenance personnel safe at heights.

✔️ Horizontal Lifeline System

A two-user horizontal fall arrest system allows workers to tie off while moving across the catwalk, maintaining 100% tie-off and reducing the risk of serious injury. The continuous line ensures no need to disconnect and reconnect, improving both safety and efficiency.

✔️ Self-Closing Safety Gates

Bright yellow self-closing gates were installed at each ladder entry to eliminate open edges. These gates automatically close behind workers to provide constant fall protection without relying on user intervention.

✔️ OSHA-Approved Guardrails

All exposed edges are protected by yellow powder-coated handrails that meet or exceed OSHA height and load requirements for industrial guardrails.

✔️ Secure Ladder Access

Fixed steel ladders offer safe, stable access to the platform. Their alignment with the gates and lifeline system ensures a smooth, protected workflow for maintenance crews.

Built for Durability: Galvanized Steel Catwalks

In harsh environments like wastewater plants, material choice is critical. We used hot-dip galvanized steel throughout the catwalk system to resist rust, corrosion, and chemical damage. This material ensures long-term reliability, minimizes maintenance, and meets the rugged demands of 24/7 industrial operations.

Galvanized steel catwalks are ideal for:

Chemical processing plants
Water and wastewater facilities
Food and beverage manufacturing
Power generation and utility sites

Why Choose A-Mezz for Industrial Catwalk Systems?

With decades of experience in custom access platforms, industrial catwalk design, and fall protection integration, A-Mezz is your go-to partner for safe and efficient access solutions. Our turnkey design-build services ensure you get a code-compliant, field-ready platform tailored to your exact needs.

Benefits of working with A-Mezz:

Personalized engineering and fabrication
Fully OSHA-compliant solutions
Custom fit for your equipment and facility layout
Fast, efficient installation and support

Get a Quote on Your Custom Catwalk System

If your facility needs a reliable catwalk platform, elevated access system, or a complete fall protection solution, contact A-Mezz Industrial Structures today. We’ll help you design and build a system that meets OSHA standards, protects your workforce, and stands the test of time.

📞 Call us or Request a quote online to get started on your custom project.

Pedestrian Traffic Control Signs Mounted on Gates

Your Message… Right Where You Need It

Our customer above had custom signs printed up that they riveted onto our stainless steel gate. After mounting the sign to our MLG gate, their message is front and center – right where they need it. Do you have cost concerns about using these at your location? It is easy to incorporate an advertisement for a local business with its logo/slogan to offset the cost of the gate and sign printing. While A-Mezz does not offer graphic printing, we have heard from customers that they have had it done for $30-100 per sign – depending on what material and options they choose, such as di-cutting they had selected from their printer.

Rear view of MLG 304 stainless steel safety gate mounted to stairs with pedestrian traffic control sign.

MLG gates are also a great place to have important safety information such as at the top of a ladder that accesses a confined space.

Stairwell Interruption Gate

Our MLG gates are also often used to comply with NFPA 101 – Life Safety Code as a stairwell interruption gate. The 2018 edition of NFPA 101 stipulates 7.7.3.2: “Stairs and ramps that continue more than one-half story below the level of discharge shall be provided with an approved means to prevent or dissuade occupants from traveling past the level of discharge during emergency building evacuation”.

When descending a stairway, A-Mezz MLG gates are used where the stairs continue past the emergency exit. The gates stop panicked occupants from continuing down the stairs, past the exit point. When ascending the stairs from below, anyone can simply walk through the gate to safety. Many customers have aluminum signs printed stating there is no exit past the gate and an arrow pointing to the exit location.

While they were designed for fall protection applications, our MLG gates are much more versatile. Featuring quick shipping times, in-stock status, and low cost, MLG gates are ideal for many uses. Contact A-Mezz today for more details and a quote.

A-Mezz Rigid Track Personal Fall Arrest System

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Personal fall arrest systems are causing cages to go out of vogue with OSHA. As of November 2018 they will not count as fall protection on new fixed ladders and they will only count as fall protection on existing ladders until November of 2036. Note that if an existing ladder is modified at anytime, that modified section of ladder must be retrofitted with a personal fall arrest system at that time.

Personal fall arrest system with body harness and trolley

Personal fall arrest system in use with body harness and trolley

We now carry a rigid fall arrest track that, when used in conjunction with a trolley and body harness, will meet OSHA’s new requirements for fall protection. The rigid track and trolley allow the climber to move freely up and down the track without needing to push, pull, or even touch any part of the fall arrest system.

Should an accident happen, your foot slips or you fall, the trolley on the fall arrest system will automatically lock onto the rigid rail, stopping your fall.

Tracks are available in 316 Stainless Steel or Aluminum with an anodized finish. The trolleys are designed for a single user and have a capacity of 310 lbs. Note: Two users are permitted to use a single track when used for rescue purposes, but never the same trolley. With that in mind, we suggest the single track and two harnesses and trolleys.

One track/trolley may get you by for most things, but if you ever need to have more than one person on the roof at the same time you will need to have a harness and trolley for each climber. If you do not, the first climber has to get to the roof, remove the trolley and harness, lower it by rope to the lower person who then has to put on the harness and climb up. Likewise, when work is done, one person has to climb down with the harness and trolley and then remove it, tie it to a rope for the upper climber to pull up, put on the harness and climb down… It doesn’t make much sense to us either.

Close up view of A-Mezz personal fall arrest systems utilizing rigid track.

The rigid tracks are installed in the middle of the climbing side of the ladder rungs. The fall arrest system clamps around the ladder rung every 4’ to 6’ to secure and can have multiple pieces of rigid track spliced together to accommodate long climbs without requiring a single long rail to be shipped, which saves on shipping costs. Often the increased cost of the system is offset almost entirely by the fact that the ladder does not need to have a cage anymore. Cages are costly to manufacture and especially to ship. Taking up 4’x4’x34’ of space on a truck isn’t cheap. We have seen some freight costs come back almost 1/7th what they were compared to caged ladders.