For those of you who can’t get enough, here’s Part IV of Nightmare of an Installation…
Our DIY lifestyle has spawned a generation of hobby handymen. While this is great for fixing broken tiles or squeaky doors around the house, when it comes to compressed air system installations, it can be the stuff of nightmares.
Our technician arrived onsite for the service call not knowing what to expect as the customer had installed the compressor themselves. Upon entering the compressor room, he looked left. Looked right. Turned around. There were no compressors in sight. A chill ran down his spine as he spotted the ladders directly in front of him. The 2 by 4, braced and shimmed with multiple blocks of wood was a very bad omen.
Puzzled, our service technician followed the ladders up, up, up and winced:
Clearly, this miserable mezzanine macgyvered out of plywood wouldn’t be winning any awards for safety.
Floor space is a concern in a number of plants, making a mezzanine installation a necessity. If you need to go this route for your compressed air system, don’t neglect safety, proper lighting, and service access. Work with a system designer who can help you properly plan a system that will meet your needs and avoid unsafe shortcuts. Sometimes it’s best not to do-it-yourself.