Project report Friedrich Friedrich, Darmstädter Speditions- und Möbeltransportgesellschaft mbH

Self-Storage is a current trend in many large cities. Friedrich Friedrich – Darmstädter Speditions- und Möbeltransportgesellschaft mbH has recognised this early on and operates an innovative system with self-service storage rooms, where tenants can drive up directly to their storage box by car. Storage space is scarce in many households and businesses. The flexible access to this storage facility is used for short-term and long-term purposes.

Since the stored goods are often also heavy items, the demands on the access solutions used in the outdoor area are high. The higher storage level is accessed by a total of six mobile platform stairs, which are moved independently by the tenants to get to their storage boxes, as required. The stairs must be easy and comfortable to climb and ensure maximum safety for users, even in adverse weather conditions.

Steps and platforms were therefore equipped with anti-slip grating steps and comply with anti-slip class R12. Steps of KRAUSE special solution designs can be manufactured in standard widths of 600, 800 or 1.000 mm, or, if desired, in special widths. The step depth is 240 mm, which ensures safe ascent and descent even when carrying a load.

Since the facility is a self-storage warehouse with 24-hour-access, there were special requirements for the KRAUSE team when selecting safety devices. The stairs are placed by the tenants at the containers independently and must therefore also be operable by supposedly untrained users. This was also the main reason for the use of a “dead man's brake”. The brake is released by means of a handgrip. When the user removes his hand, the brakes are activated automatically. This simplifies usage and prevents the situation, that the additional brakes on the castors may be forgotten by accident. As soon as the stairs are in their final position, users can ascend the platform and access the containers.

The platform stairs with double-rail feature handrail and knee rail, and the surrounding platform railings were additionally equipped with a foot rail. In addition, safety chains with warning signs were attached to the platform stairs and at the end of the extension. Since space utilization plays a significant role in the warehousing sector, the space between the individual storage spaces is naturally limited to a minimum. For the platform stairs, therefore, only a version with shortened stabilisers could be considered. To ensure stability, the construction has been fitted with ballast weights.