ErectaStep stair ammonia piping Montana facility
Categories: Access Stairs Stairs & Work Platforms Bulk Chemical ErectaStep
A SafeRack-supplied ErectaStep stair and platform system enabled a Montana facility to safely access ammonia lines in a tight, pipe-dense area, while avoiding hot work and heavy civil construction. This project profile highlights how modular ErectaStep components and SafeRack’s application support came together to solve a unique access challenge and keep the customer’s process online.
Project overview
A customer operating an ammonia unit in Montana required safe and reliable access to valves and piping located within a congested process area. Traditional stick-built platforms would have required hot work, heavier materials, and more disruption around live lines. By leveraging prefabricated ErectaStep stairs and platforms, SafeRack delivered a modular system that fit within tight tolerances while maintaining clear, compliant access paths.
Challenge: tight tolerances around live piping
The access points the customer needed to reach were surrounded by existing ammonia piping and structural steel, leaving very little room for conventional stairs or landings. Any solution had to be installed quickly, without hot work, and without requiring extended downtime or major equipment moves. The facility also needed a system that local installers could assemble with minimal field modification, while integrating seamlessly into the existing process environment.
Solution: ErectaStep modular stairs
ErectaStep’s prefabricated industrial stairs and access platforms use a patented bolt-together system with modular components, which allows the layout to “thread” around the ammonia lines with precise clearances and no field welding. Lightweight, corrosion-resistant aluminum reduced the need for heavy lifting equipment and simplified handling in and around the unit. Because ErectaStep is modular and reconfigurable, the layout can be adjusted or expanded in the future as the process or maintenance needs change.
Fast, no-hot-work installation
The installer assembled the ErectaStep stair and platform system using standard tools, with no cutting or welding required near the ammonia lines. Pre-engineered components and clear drawings helped the crew move efficiently from offloading to final bolt-up, minimizing time in the process area and reducing outage duration. This approach lowered installation risk and delivered a clean, professional finish that aligned with the facility’s safety and reliability expectations.
SafeRack services on every project
Beyond supplying ErectaStep, SafeRack provided upfront layout and design assistance to help the customer validate clearances, walking surfaces, and guardrail placements before the equipment was shipped. Regional Area Managers and in-house design teams routinely support site walks, 3D layouts, and budget-level proposals early in the project cycle so customers can solve access and fall protection issues without overcomplicating engineering. For complex units like this ammonia installation, that full-service support helps ensure the final ErectaStep solution is safe, compliant, and practical to install.