Onerous Grating Spec

[dozer]

We have a client who is requiring that the cross bar (you know the twisted bar on 4" centers) on bar grating not stick up above the bearing bar at all. My understanding is most vendors make this flush with + or - 1/16" tolerance. The client has been very specific that he won't accept grating that has cross bars that exceed plus zero on the height above the bearing bar. We got a sample from a vendor and sure enough the cross bar was about 1/16" (or so) above the bearing bar which didn't surprise me at all. Has anyone ever heard of such an onerous spec? How in the world are we going to find a vendor who takes this serious? Should it be taken seriously? IMO, we should have never accepted this condition but it's too late now.

 

[IFRs]

moltenmetal - ever slipped on plain bar grating that was wet? It hurts. I'm coming from an industrial background, I know little to nothing of the municipal area. But, just because it has been done one way for a long time does not make it right. I prefer "slip resistant" grating, but them I'm also doing working surfaces above grade.

 

[moltenmetal]

I've fallen on both, thanks, and KNOW I'd rather fall on the smooth stuff. The stuff outside in high traffic urban areas gets wet too.

 

[hiddensun]

dozer, where did you find grating available with flush surface?

I have an application where I was going to use grating upside down to support a sheet of stainless steel and then run a plastic modular conveyor belt on top. (I need a flat surface, and raised cross bars might be a problem.) But the grating manufacturer says that I cannot use bar grating upside down or it will crack at the cross bars because the welds aren't good enough to handle the tension. (they are only good in compression.) If that is true, then my proposal won't work and I'm running out of options.

 

[IFRs]

hiddensum - try non-welded swaged-cross bar grating. Bustin, McNichols, etc - everyone makes it.
moltenmetal - while I sympathize with bleeding knees, I'd rather bloody my knees than slip off an elevated platform and bounce down 65 treads on the way to the ground.

 

[dozer]

Hiddensum, Harsco Industrial IKG claims they can do it. It's a special order and cost extra. We haven't actually ordered it yet, so I can't vouch for them.