Finding a fire-rated loft ladder suitable for a ceiling height of 4m is challenging enough, but what if it also needs to be electrically operated? These were the primary requirements for this project – part of the renovation work on a Public Hall in Stretford, Manchester. Premier Loft Ladders worked with the project’s main contractor to specify the perfect ladder for the task.
The challenge…
Stretford Public Hall is a community-owned building in Stretford, Greater Manchester. The hall is run by Friends of Stretford Public Hall, who have spent the past 10 years restoring the building into a multipurpose community centre. The latest phase of its renovation was competed by Rosslee Construction and involved essential roof repairs and maintenance, as well as insulation of roof voids. The work also included the installation of a new fire-rated electric loft ladder.
The specification required 30-minutes of fire protection, with a heavy-duty ladder for use by the public hall staff and 3rd-party contractors. What made this project particularly challenging was the very high ceiling of almost 4m. As such, an electric loft ladder was deemed best suited for ease of access into the loft space.
Fire-resistant electric ladder for high ceiling.
The Solution…
The electrically operated Supreme with a 30-minute fire-rated steel hatch was quickly identified as the best solution for this challenging project. The fire-rated electric loft ladder can achieve a height of 4m. It also features a high-strength concertina ladder assembled from cast aluminium components with a load-rating of 200kg per tread. Furthermore, the ladder is operated by a low-noise electric motor, featuring a battery back-up power supply and manual override. Finally, to achieve the 30-minute fire-protection, the ladder is packaged in a fire-resistant steel hatch box.
Rosslee Construction requested a number of extra features. These included a second telescopic handrail (which can be seen in the image here) and an upper-level guardrail for improving comfort and safety for those climbing the ladder.
Because the ladder is fitted within a public hall, enhancements to security were also requested. A cylinder lock was originally included as part of the ladder specification, but when used in conjunction with electric operation it can cause problems where users try to force open the hatch without releasing the lock. Also, the very high ceiling makes accessing the lock (via the operating pole supplied with the ladder) very difficult. The solution was a key operated switch, which provides the required protection from unauthorised access without compromising ease-of-use.
Automatic fire-rated loft ladder with telescopic handrail on both sides.
The results…
Rosslee Construction installed the fire-rated electric loft ladder to a particularly high-standard (as can be seen here). Architrave was fitted around the hatch box to provide a decorative finish that complements the period features of the Hall. Also, the underside of the hatch was painted white to match the ceiling.
The upper-level guardrail supplied with the ladder was replaced with a custom railing that better suited the positioning of the roof timbers and the entry/exit point of the ladder. In addition, the electric control unit and operating switch are conveniently positioned adjacent to the ladder. Therefore, they are easily accessible for servicing, such as routine replacement of the back-up battery.
The fire-rated hatch was installed with decorative architrave and painted white to match the décor of the hall.
“Premier loft ladders were very helpful in understanding the unique requirements for our project, putting forward a suitable proposal to incorporate all of our requirements. Manufacture times and deliveries were clearly communicated, and once installed the post-installation information and support from the team have been very useful”
Ian Johnson, Contracts Manager – Rosslee Construction Ltd
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Other fire-rated loft ladders…
Premier Loft Ladders offer a selection of fire-rated loft ladders to meet a range of needs and situations, offering up to 120 minutes of fire protection.
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