The HongFu Court fire in Hong Kong on November 26th, classified as a level 5 fire, initially pointed to bamboo scaffolding used for exterior wall repairs and illegally used flammable materials. Fueled by strong winds, the fire took 43 hours to bring under control, resulting in a tragic loss of 159 lives. This accident serves as a stark reminder that the choice of construction methods directly impacts public safety. In the context of high-density urban development and increasingly smaller building spacing, the drawbacks of traditional scaffolding are becoming increasingly apparent. Shenxi's combination of suspended platforms and construction elevators is reshaping the construction safety landscape with significant advantages.
The safety shortcomings of traditional bamboo or steel scaffolding have long been evident. Bamboo scaffolding is inherently flammable and has limited load-bearing capacity. While steel scaffolding is flame-retardant, its construction requires significant ground space. In densely populated communities with building spacing of less than 5 meters, this not only obstructs passage but also easily leads to safety accidents and neighborhood disputes. More importantly, scaffolding requires layer-by-layer erection and dismantling, extending the construction period by more than 30% compared to suspended platforms. Furthermore, workers at height rely on simple safety harnesses, resulting in a persistently high risk of falls. In the Hongfuyuan fire, the flammable nature of the scaffolding was a significant factor in the fire's spread, exposing the disconnect between traditional methods and the demands of modern urban construction.
The emergence of suspended platforms from companies like Shenxi Machinery has completely solved the problem of construction close to buildings. These devices, primarily steel-structured and encased in flame-retardant materials, are equipped with dual fall protection devices and intelligent monitoring systems, eliminating fire hazards at the source. In the renovation project of an old residential area in Gusu District, Suzhou, where the distance between two buildings was only 3 meters, Shenxi's ZLP630 suspended platform, using BIM technology for simulation and positioning, completed the installation of 12 units in just two days. During construction, a safe distance of 50 centimeters was maintained from adjacent buildings, ensuring unimpeded access for residents and increasing the efficiency of exterior wall renovation by 40%.
The Beitun Community resettlement housing project in Xi'an is even more representative. At the contraction joint of the main building, the wall spacing was only 15 centimeters, making traditional scaffolding impossible. The construction team utilized Shenxi's customized suspended platform, featuring an adjustable cantilever beam design to adapt to confined spaces and a new safety rope system for comprehensive protection of all personnel. The project's technical manager explained that there were zero safety incidents during the suspended platform construction, the project duration was shortened by 15 days compared to the original plan, and labor costs were reduced by 25%. This case demonstrates the triple advantages of suspended platforms in terms of spatial adaptability, safety, and economy.
The synergistic use of construction elevators and suspended platforms achieves a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts. Construction elevators handle vertical material transport, avoiding the efficiency losses associated with frequent lifting and lowering of goods on the suspended platform; the suspended platform focuses on exterior wall work. The two are interconnected through an intelligent scheduling system, resulting in a 50% increase in overall construction efficiency in the densely populated commercial and residential building project in Nanjing's Hexi district. This combined solution not only meets the construction restrictions of close proximity to buildings but also constructs a comprehensive safety protection network.
The lessons learned from the Hongfuyuan fire remind us that upgrading construction techniques is not an option but a necessity. The combination of Shenxi's suspended platform and construction elevators not only solves the spatial challenges of high-density urban construction but also strengthens the safety barrier through technological innovation. Only by abandoning outdated techniques and promoting efficient and safe construction methods can building construction truly become a safety guarantee for urban development.
