ECEX has successfully solved a roof safety and access problem for the University of Oxford by custom-fabricating and installing a galvanised steel sub-frame and non-slip grating designed to provide consistent, level and safe access to rooftop HVAC equipment.

Access across the roof of a complex of laboratory buildings at the university was obstructed by the pipework, cables and supports serving extraction and HVAC units, including chillers and condensers.

This caused a series of significant trip hazards to employees working on the rooftop, so the university's engineering team called in an ECEX specialist to survey the area and improve access. The university was already familiar with the company and impressed by its work because ECEX has previously supplied and installed Air Intake Screens widely across the university's 300-plus building estate.

ECEX uses the hierarchy of control measures determined by the Health & Safety Executive to decide the optimum solution in each specific case. John Grenville, managing director, explained: 'In other words, the ultimate measure is to remove the hazard completely if this is practical. If not, the next measure down is to use collective fall protection such as guard railing so that someone without specialised training can move around the roof safely. The next level down would be the use of personal protective equipment such as a harness, and so on.'

ECEX's means of access for the University of Oxford project was through occupied parts of the building so the company installed its gantry system out of hours to avoid disruption.