Is salt corroding your structure?

The food industry is a large user of salt in the preparation of the everyday consumables that land on our dining tables. But this salt can have an adverse effect on the building structures that are used to support, carry and hold. The Grating Company manufactured and supplied a platform made from FRP (fibreglass reinforced polyester) to a major food preparation plant where salt is used as part of the water-softening process.

The salt, which is in bags on a pallet, weighs in excess of 1000 kg, is placed on the platform and then poured into the hopper alongside. The spillage over time caused the previous galvanised steel platforms to become unsafe and needed to be replaced every three years.

The platform utilised FRP steptreads with a solid nosing and quartz gritted non-slip surface. The platform itself is made from 38 mm thick non-slip FRP with a 30 mm grid opening. The support beams and legs are FRP profiles (C channel and angle) as are the FRP handrails which are all bolted together with 316 stainless steel fixing clips.

All FRP moulded gratings and handrail profiles are unaffected by salt and most other chemicals, making them suitable for construction of walkways, platforms and stairs.