Barge Gangway for an Agribusiness in Illinois

What Is a Barge Gangway?

A barge gangway is an engineered walkway that connects a dock, platform, or shore structure to a vessel.
MarinaStep barge gangways from SafeRack are engineered to keep workers safe and operations moving in tough marine environments.

For agribusiness and bulk food operations, a barge gangway provides repeatable, safe access to dry‑bulk or liquid barges handling grain, feed, fertilizers, or additives.
They can help cut fall incidents, speed boarding, and keep loading teams productive.

How a MarinaStep Barge Gangway Can Help Your Agribusiness

Marine industries are among the most hazardous work environments. Water transportation industries have an incident rate 4.7 times higher than other U.S workplaces. In 2021, the port area in internal waters represented 39.2% of casualties and injury incidents. It’s essential to invest in proper safety equipment to maintain safe conditions and productivity.

MarinaStep barge gangways are compliant with OSHA guidelines, minimizing the danger of moving between a vessel and land. Key benefits that barge gangways provide to agribusiness operations include:

• Reduce fall risk at the dock. MarinaStep barge access gangways replace ladders and improvised ramps with an OSHA‑compliant design that includes handrails and non‑slip walking surfaces.
  This cuts slip, trip, and fall exposure when crews board and exit dry‑bulk or liquid barges.
• Keep loading operations moving. Purpose‑built barge gangways provide consistent, repeatable access so operators can get on and off the barge quickly, even as river levels and barge freeboard change,
  helping reduce loading delays during peak harvest or shipping windows.
• Handle changing water levels and vessel types. MarinaStep systems are custom‑engineered for your dock elevation, tidal or river variation, and barge mix.
  Options like SAS, SG, and truss gangways give safe shore‑to‑barge access across a wide operating angle without getting the gangway in the water.
• Lower maintenance and lifecycle costs. Corrosion‑resistant marine‑grade aluminum, fewer welds, and precision fabrication deliver long service life with minimal upkeep in wet, high‑moisture agricultural environments,
  protecting both equipment and capital budget versus ad‑hoc structures.
• Support audits and regulatory compliance. Engineered barge gangways help demonstrate compliance with OSHA marine gangway and fall protection expectations and align with broader OSHA/EPA/USDA safety programs in agriculture,
  simplifying internal EHS, insurance, and customer audits.

Types of MarinaStep Gangways

SafeRack marine gangways by MarinaStep offer three primary barge and marine gangway styles to match the system to your dock layout, river conditions, and traffic.

• Self‑Adjusting Stairs (SAS Series) – Stair‑style gangways that auto‑level each step and operate safely at aggressive angles,
  ideal for shore‑to‑barge access where water levels change frequently.
• Stage Gangway (SG Series) – U‑body aluminum stage gangways with high live‑load capacity and multiple tread options,
  commonly used for barge and ship access where a ramped surface is preferred.
• Truss Gangway (TG Series) – Truss‑style gangways for longer spans and higher stability, providing rigid, OSHA‑compliant barge access in demanding marine terminals.

All MarinaStep barge gangways are built‑to‑order to your required length, width, and loading requirements. They are created to match your unique conditions and optimize safety, uptime, and total cost of ownership at your marine agribusiness facility.

Contact SafeRack today so we can begin improving the conditions of your facility, reducing injury rates, and saving you time and money.