Monorails are often the practical solution for access to the underside of a structure, from simple overhangs to full atriums. Also, monorail tracks and trolleys can be used to position a scaffold to access an entire building elevation where there is no direct access to rigging points on the rooftop level above.
For this project in Sarasota, Florida, Sky Climber provided structurally rated flip-up anchors for use as tiebacks for temporary suspended scaffolds as well as to tie off window cleaners using RDS (Rope Descent Systems). However, one corner of the building has a sloped metal roof with an overhang blocking any path to standard topside rigging attachments. So a monorail system was designed to reach the façade in this spot….including turning the corner to reach around it.
The flip-up anchors were cast in place in 5″ thick structural concrete, and the finished installation in the common areas will include brushed aluminum flush-mount caps so the anchors are covered when not in use. The monorail mounting brackets are attached to a concrete shear wall. The mounting brackets support approximately 60 feet of SC-134 straight and curved monorail track from Sky Climber’s European manufacturing facilities.
This design features Sky Climber manual mechanical trolleys for suspending a temporary powered scaffold, and can accessed for rigging from the common-area rooftop. The trolleys function smoothly to traverse the track horizontally, including a radius curve, without the added expense of a corded electric-powered trolley. In this instance, the system is designed for use with a rental swing stage and is expected to provide cost savings to the building owners by avoiding the need for a complicated scaffold tower project on an occupied building every time exterior maintenance (Caulking, patching, repainting, cleaning…) is required over the life of the building.
