Galvanized Steel Stairs Project

This energy & power distribution client originally had wooden stairs in a harsh weather environment that were used to access the monitor seepage wells on the dam. After replacing the stairs three times in 10 years, they began to look for a different option and call JDI for our industrial fabricator expertise.

Soon after the evaluation, the client requests our fabrication shop to create a completely custom set of galvanized steel stairs and a walkway for their hydro dam reservoir.

JDI’s fabrication team not only welds the stairs in-house, but also works on-site at the dam to complete the assembly and positioning.

Our fabrication ability allows the client better access, limits unnecessary maintenance and replacements, and keeps their staff much safer on these galvanized steel stairs.

The client wants a heavier, more solid stair structure that could withstand the wind, rain, and de-vegetation process. JDI proposes a custom-built galvanized steel stairway from our fabrication shop for the project and began to prepare plans to create the stair pieces.

The client had bid the work with other industrial fabricators, but we were the only ones able to meet the deadlines and AWS certifications needed for this project.

Due to the regulations governing the integrity of the dam, drilled or cast foundations were not an option. These regulations require the galvanized steel stair sections to be fabricated with adjustable supports to contour with the irregular surface of the dam.

Because of the history of high winds affecting the stairs’ integrity, our fabrication team’s task is making sure the stairs weighed at least 15,000 lbs. to withstand environmental factors.

Once the fabrication shop completes the stairs, they are load and transport the stair sets to the installation site.

At the installation site we receive the stairs and prepare placement. The on-site rigging and fabrication crew dismantles the older, wooden stairs, then begins rigging the new galvanized steel sets. Our rigging crew is led by a master rigger with 30 year of experience, and is very familiar with high-wind and heavy loads.

Once the pieces are ready for lifting into their final placements, our crew of four hikes up the rocky terrain carefully. Working here is akin to standing on a constant shifting path as the rocks are not always stable. Our team gets into place, helps maneuver the steel pieces, and then welds them together.

In partnership with the energy client, our team, along with their in-house crane operator, work together to place the stair and walkway sections. We perform field placement and final welding, delivering the results the client is expecting in a short time.

Furthermore, the client representative has gratitude for the industrial fabrication team’s work and states that JDI exceeds expectations on craftsmanship and timeliness. Since then, we at JDI are working on even more projects with the client at their facilities.