by Kevin O’Neill

Steele Solutions Inc. has committed to utilizing a new design for our standard IBC and OSHA Round Rail Stair and will be rolling out a similar modification for Square Rail designs soon. The new standard stair design is referred to as a Knockdown Stair. This new design has some key differences from the previous design, and they offer many benefits to the end-user.

Design and Look: In this new design, the guardrail is in line with the stringer and the handrail is inside the guardrail. This design allows the tread to remain the same but the overall footprint of the stair takes up less space. This creates more flexibility with placement and design on new and existing structures.

There is also more flexibility with color options with the new design, allowing for handrails and stringer to be different colors to comply with any specific design/safety requirements.

Lighter Weight: The newer design has a lower product weight than the previous design. The lesser weight makes this design more compact for shipping, lowering freight cost for customers.

Easier Install: Installer does not need to have the stairs assembled with a forklift or any other heavy equipment. Install of this design uses the same tools as the previous design. Still, they can be completed without the larger equipment, giving installers more flexibility, especially in existing areas where equipment and machinery may already be in place.

Along with an easier install, there is more room for modifications of this design once the product has arrived on site for those last-second adjustments from the Owner. Modifications can be made to the existing product with minor field adjustments and minimal new material needed.

Quicker Turnaround: The new design has a shorter production time; allowing for a larger volume of stairs to be delivered and not lag behind the rest of the structure. This ensures a project is completed in the correct timeline and provides safe access to work on the platform.

Interested in learning more about the new design and implementing it into your next project? Contact one of SSI’s expert salespeople, and we will help take your project to the next level!