GB2408770A - Platform - Google Patents

Abstract

A platform comprises at least one platform unit comprising a flexible platform <B>14</B> and means to secure the platform unit to a fixed structure. The platform may include a hand-rail and a spacer to space the hand-rail from the platform unit. The platform may include a toe-board.A plurality of spacers may be provided which extend, in use, out of the plane of the platform unit. The platform unit may be formed from a low-stretch composite material. The platform may comprise a plurality of platform units, each platform unit being adapted to connect with an adjacent platform unit. Each platform unit may have a sleeve portion <B>20, 22</B> at an edge. Elongate rigid members may be provided to extend through the sleeve portions <B>20, 22</B>. The rigid members may be connectable end to end. Connector blocks may be provided to connect adjacent rigid members. Tensioners, which may be Y-shaped ties <B>44,</B> may be provided to secure the platform unit(s) to a fixed structure. Each Y-shaped tie <B>44</B> may connect to the fixed structure at one point and to the platform unit at two points.

Description

1 "Apparatus" 3 This invention relates to a platform apparatus and 4

particularly but not exclusively to a flexible platform which may be temporarily erected.

7 The use of scaffolding to gain access to the 8 structures such as buildings or oil rigs is well 9 known. Scaffolding provides a platform upon which workers can walk upon and gain access to, for 11 example, the upper levels of buildings. However, 12 the assembly of scaffolding is very time consuming 13 and therefore expensive.

In certain situations, workers can be suspended on 16 ropes to gain access to the working area and the 17 assembly of scaffolding can be avoided. However, 18 work performed in this way is itself time consuming 19 and so for larger jobs does not represent any overall saving of time or costs when compared to the 21 use of scaffolding. Moreover, most territories 22 require skilled rope-access personnel to be used for 1 such work and coupled with the obvious dangers, the 2 costs to employ such personnel is normally higher 3 than the cost of equivalent personnel employed to 4 work on scaffolding.

6 According to a first aspect of the present invention 7 there is provided a platform apparatus comprising: 8 at least one platform unit comprising a 9 flexible platform; and means to secure at least one platform unit to a 11 fixed structure.

13 Preferably, the apparatus comprises a hand-rail.

Preferably, the platform apparatus is a working 16 platform apparatus, that is, in use, it is adapted 17 to support a worker thereover.

19 Preferably, the apparatus comprises a spacer to space the hand-rail away from the at least one 21 platform unit.

23 Preferably, the platform is manufactured from a low 24 stretch, composite material. Preferably, the platform comprises a plastic-coated fibre material.

26 Preferably, the platform is manufactured 27 substantially from a plastic-coated fibre material.

28 Preferably, the plastic material is PVC or a 29 derivative thereof. Preferably, the plastic-coated fibre material is Baintex 390-FR.

1 Preferably, the platform apparatus comprises a 2 plurality of platform units. Preferably, each 3 platform unit is adapted to connect with at least 4 one adjacent platform unit.

6 Preferably, each platform unit comprises at least 7 one connecting portion, such as a primary sleeve 8 portion, at an edge thereof. The primary sleeve 9 portion may be, in use, aligned with a sleeve portion of an adjacent platform unit. Preferably, 11 the platform apparatus comprises at least one 12 substantially rigid member which is adapted to 13 extend through said primary sleeve portions to 14 connect adjacent platform units.

16 Preferably, a plurality of co-linear primary sleeve 17 portions are provided at two opposite edges of each 18 platform unit. Preferably, the primary sleeve 19 portions on opposite edges of each platform unit are offset with respect to each other. The plurality of 21 primary sleeve portions may form a plurality of 22 castellations.

24 Preferably, at least one secondary sleeve portion is provided at at least one further edge of each 26 platform unit. Preferably, a plurality of co-linear 27 secondary sleeve portions are provided at two 28 opposite edges of each platform unit.

Preferably, the secondary sleeve portions are 31 provided at edges which extend in a transverse 1 direction to the edges comprising the primary sleeve 2 portions.

4 The secondary sleeve portions may be the same as the primary sleeve portions but are preferably longer 6 and are spaced apart by a shorter distance than the 7 primary sleeve portions.

9 The platform apparatus may include secondary substantially rigid members which can extend through 11 the secondary sleeve portions.

13 The primary and secondary substantially rigid 14 members can be primary and secondary rods.

16 Preferably, the secondary substantially rigid 17 members are formed from a plurality of rod portions 18 which are adapted to interconnect by mutually 19 engaging threads.

21 The primary and secondary rods can be cylindrical or 22 any suitable shape.

24 Preferably, the apparatus comprises ties adapted to connect adjacent secondary rods. Alternatively (or 26 additionally) the apparatus comprises connector 27 blocks adapted to engage with the secondary rods of 28 adjacent platform units. Preferably, the connection 2 9 between the secondary rods and the connector blocks is by way of a threaded connection. More 31 preferably, the connector blocks comprise threaded 32 sockets which can receive the threaded rods.

1 The connector blocks can be adapted to connect rods 2 extending in different directions, for example at 3 right angles to each other and may be adapted to 4 connect any combination of primary and/or secondary rods.

7 Preferably, the means to secure the at least one 8 platform unit to a fixed structure comprises 9 tensioners and more preferably ties. Typically, the ties are adapted to engage the rods.

12 Preferably the ties are Y-shaped tensioners, each 13 tie being secured to the fixed structure or 14 tensioner at a single point and secured to the at least one platform unit at two (or more) points.

17 Preferably the tensioners are chain-pull lifts or 18 ratchet type straps. A safety connector may be 19 attached between the at least one platform unit and the fixed structure as a back up to the tensioner.

22 Preferably, the platform apparatus comprises a 23 movement resisting means to resist movement of the 24 means to secure the at least one platform unit to a fixed structure. Preferably, the movement resisting 26 means comprises the secondary rods with channels 27 formed therein at a transverse direction to that of 28 the main axis of the rods. The movement resisting 29 means may comprises bobbin-shaped rod portions.

1 Preferably, the perimeter of each platform unit is 2 of a greater strength and reduced flexibility than 3 the remainder thereof.

Preferably, a plurality of spacers are provided.

6 The spacers may be in the form of posts adapted to 7 extend, in use, out of the plane of the at least one 8 platform unit and preferably in a generally upwards 9 direction. The hand-rail may extend between said poles.

12 Preferably, the platform apparatus comprises at 13 least one toe-board.

Preferably, the platform apparatus comprises side 16 walls which can extend between the hand-rail and the 17 at least one platform unit.

19 According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of erecting a 21 platform comprising: 22 providing a platform apparatus according to the 23 first aspect of the present invention; and 24 securing the at least one platform unit to the fixed structure.

27 Preferably, the method involves the use of the 28 platform apparatus to gain access to an external 29 face of a structure.

31 Preferably, the method also comprises attaching the 32 hand-rail to the at least one platform unit.

1 Preferably, the means to secure the platform to a 2 structure is attached to the secondary rods and 3 preferably at the channels thereof.

Preferably the toe-boards extend in a generally 6 upwards direction, away from the at least one 7 platform unit.

9 Preferably, the spacers extend in a generally upwards direction away from the at least one 11 platform unit.

13 Optionally, there is provided a plurality of 14 platform units, adjacent platform units being interconnected and form an aggregate platform.

16 Preferably, the hand-rail extends around the 17 perimeter of the aggregate platform.

19 Preferably, the least one platform unit is secured to a fixed structure at two opposite ends.

22 Preferably, the perimeter of each platform unit is 23 of a greater strength and reduced flexibility than 24 the remainder thereof. This may be achieved by folding over the edges of the at least one platform 26 unit and securing these overlaps onto the platform 27 unit, for example by welding.

29 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to 31 the accompanying drawings in which: 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of an 2 assembled platform apparatus in accordance with 3 the present invention; 4 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a platform unit and associated components which forms a part of 6 the Fig. 1 apparatus; 7 Fig. 3a is a front view of a bobbin part of a 8 bar which forms part of the apparatus of Fig. 9 1; Fig. 3b is a perspective view of the bobbin 11 part of Fig. 3a along with a tie; 12 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a rod and 13 platform units which form part of the apparatus 14 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the plurality 16 of portions of a bar which forms part of the 17 apparatus of Fig. 1; 18 Fig. 6 is a second perspective view of the Fig. 19 5 bar along with attached platform unit which forms part of the apparatus of Fig. 1; 21 Fig. 7 is a plan view of adjacent bobbins and 22 tie which form part of the Fig. 1 platform 23 apparatus; 24 Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the Fig. 7 bobbins and tie; 26 Fig. 9 is a second perspective view of the Fig. 27 7 bobbins, with attached platform units; 28 Fig. lea is a perspective view of connector 29 blocks along with associated components, which form part of the apparatus of Fig. 1; 31 Fig. lob is a top view of the connector block 32 along line A-A of Fig. lea; 1 Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a T-connector 2 block; 3 Fig. 12 is a plan view of a second embodiment 4 of a platform unit in accordance with the present invention; 6 Fig. 13 is a perspective view of part of the 7 Fig. 12 platform unit; 8 Fig. 14 is an enlarged view of an intermediate 9 tie-off point on the Fig. 12 platform unit; Fig. 15 is a perspective view of an edge of the 11 Fig. 12 platform unit; 12 Fig. 16a is an end view of adjacent Fig. 12 13 platform units showing its toe-boards in an 14 upstanding configuration; Fig. 16b is an end view of adjacent Fig. 12 16 platform units showing the toe-boards in a 17 collapsed configuration; 18 Fig. 17 is a second, enlarged, perspective view 19 of the edge of the Fig. 12 platform unit; Fig. 18a is a further perspective view of the 21 edge of the Fig. 12 platform unit; 22 Fig. 18b is an enlarged view of a corner of the 23 Fig. 18a platform unit; 24 Fig. 18c is an end view of the Fig. 18a platform unit; 26 Fig. 19a is a perspective view of a portion of 27 the Fig. 12 platform unit with the intermediate 28 attachment points removed; 29 Fig. l9b is a perspective view of the Fig. 19a portion of the Fig. 12 platform unit with a 31 connected attachment point; 1 Fig. 20a is a perspective of a platform unit 2 and unassembled components according to another 3 embodiment of the invention; 4 Fig. 20b is an enlarged perspective view of an assembled portion of the apparatus shown in 6 Fig. 20a; and 7 Fig. 20c is a perspective view of partially 8 assembled apparatus according to the embodiment 9 of Fig. 2Oa.

11 An assembled platform apparatus 10 in accordance 12 with the present invention is shown in Fig. 1 and 13 comprises a plurality of platform units 12a, 12b, 14 12c & 12d.

16 The platform units 12a-12d are identical and will 17 therefore be described by reference to the platform 18 unit 12a. The platform units 12a-12d can be joined 19 together side-by-side at, for example, the interface 70 or end-to-end at, for example, the interface 72, 21 as described below in more detail.

23 The platform unit 12a, shown in Fig. 2, comprises a 24 square planar sheet of material 14, complimentary castellations 16, 18 provided on opposite edges of 26 the material 14, and sleeves 20, 22 provided at the 27 other edges of the material 14, the sleeves 20, 22 28 also being opposite each other.

The castellations 18 are aligned with castellations 31 16 of an adjacent platform unit, such as the 32 platform unit 12b shown in Fig. 1, to connect side 1 by-side platform units, such as 12a, 12b shown in 2 Fig. 1. To provide strength to the castellations 3 16, 18, portions of pipe 16p, 18p (shown only in 4 Fig. 4) are welded therein and are adapted to receive a rod 24 which connects the aligned 6 castellations 16, 18 and therefore the adjacent 7 platform units 12a, 12b, as shown in Fig. 4.

9 The means by which the adjacent platform units may connect end-to-end as shown in Figs. 5-11 differs 11 from the rod 24 and castellations 16, 18 used to 12 connect the adjacent platform units side-by-side as 13 shown in Fig 4. This can provide a stronger 14 connection between the platform units 12a, 12c in the direction of pull. Each sleeve 20, 22 is made 16 up of a plurality of sleeve portions spaced apart 17 along the edge of the platform unit 12a so that 18 bobbins 32 of a rod 30 (hereinafter referred to as a 19 "bar 30") are exposed after the bar 30 has been inserted through the portions of the sleeve 20 or 21 the sleeve 22, as shown in Fig. 6. The bobbins 32 22 comprise a channel 34 which is adapted to receive a 23 tie 40 and resist lateral movement of the tie along 24 the bar 30 past the channel 34 due to the larger diameter end portions. The bobbin 32 can be an 26 Ertalon GF30 made from nylon with 30! glass fibre to 27 provide flexibility and strength. Preferably, it 28 includes a two-start thread.

The tie 40 connects adjacent bobbins 32 together as 31 shown in Figs. 7-9.

1 The rods 24 are typically lOmm or 15mm Nylon 2 composite rods. The bars 30 are typically 22mm 3 diameter and can be made from the same material or,

4 for example PVC.

6 Instead of the ties 40 and bobbins 32, connector 7 blocks 42 (shown in Figs. lea, lob) having threaded 8 sockets 43a, 43b may be provided to receive the bars 9 30 of adjacent platform units 12a, 12c in order to connect said platform units together end-to-end.

11 The thread of the sockets 43a and 43b are opposite 12 one another in order to facilitate assembly of the 13 bars 30 into the connector block 42. Nevertheless, 14 the provision of ties 40 to connect bobbins 32 of the rods 30 is preferred to the use of connector 16 blocks 42 because they are simpler and less 17 expensive.

19 The planar sheet of material 14 is a low stretch, composite material made from a fibre coated in PVC 21 such as a polypropylene coated fibre sheet or 22 Baintex 390-FR available from Bainbridge of 23 Southampton, Great Britain, and has the advantage of 24 being relatively lightweight. The material is suitable for tensile structures where strength, 26 durability and resistance to the elements is 27 required. The material is also preferably fire 28 resistant. The low stretch properties of the 29 material provide a sufficiently rigid platform for supporting a worker without the requirement for 31 safety ropes.

1 The square of material 14 is made by high-frequency 2 welding three strips of this material together 3 producing fusion welded overlaps 15, shown in Fig. 4 2. To form the fusion weld the edges of the material are pressed together for at least 4 seconds 6 at a power level of 12.5 on a 6kw welding plant with 7 an output of 0.8-0.9.

9 The welded overlaps 15 are provided in the direction of pull of the material 14 and provide additional 11 strength and reduced stretch of material 14 at the 12 overlaps.

14 Toe-boards 60 extend at opposite ends of the platform units 12a-12e and are typically welded 16 thereto. The toe-boards 60 are made from a similar 17 polypropylene coated fibre sheet and typically 18 extend for at least 6 inches in an upwards direction 19 in order to comply with safety regulations.

21 The platform apparatus 10 further comprises end ties 22 44 for connecting the outermost bobbins 32 of the 23 platform units 12a-12d to a fixed structure (not 24 shown). Tensioners 46 are provided between the end ties 44 and the fixed structure in order to tension 26 the platform units 12a-12d. A secondary string 47 is 27 attached between the ties 44 and the fixed structure 28 to bypass the tensioners 46 in order to provide a 29 back-up to the tensioners 46 in the event of failure. Lateral movement of the end ties 44 along 31 the bars 30 is also restricted by the channel 34 in 32 the bobbins 32.

1 The tensioners are typically 250Kg chain pull lifts 2 or ratchet type strap tensioners. The end ties 44 3 and ties 40 can be made from, for example, Kevlar 4 (TM) tape or any suitable 2000kg breaking load tape.

6 An alternative embodiment showing the use of ratchet 7 strap tensioners is shown in Figs. 20a, 20b and 20c.

8 Rigid bars 112 are provided with an enlarged end 9 portion 115 having a larger internal diameter than the remainder of the bar 112 and the opposing end 11 portion 111. The enlarged end portion 115 is 12 arranged to receive the opposing end portion 111 of 13 an adjacent bar 112. Arrows Q in Fig. 20a indicate 14 the direction in which adjacent bars 112 are moved to effect a mating connection therebetween.

17 Ratchet straps 118 are also provided. The ratchet 18 straps 118 have a folded end portion thereby 19 creating an aperture 130, through which aperture 130, the bars 112 are accommodated when the 21 apparatus is assembled. Each ratchet strap 118 has 22 a width of approximately 44.5mm with a maximum load 23 rating of 1500kg.

In order to assemble the apparatus shown in Figs. 26 20a-20c, one end 111 of a bar 112 is inserted into 27 the enlarged end 115 of an adjacent bar 112. Thus 28 the assembled bars 112 form a substantially rigid 29 member which is then inserted into sleeve portions 20, 22 and the apertures 130 of respective ratchet 31 straps 118 are fed over the end of the assembled 32 bars 112, such that the apertures 130 accommodating 1 the bars 112 therethrough are located between the 2 sleeves 20, 22 where sections of the bars 112 are 3 exposed. As shown in Fig. 20c complementary 4 castellations 16, 18 and adjacent platform units are moved towards one another in the direction shown by 6 arrows 'Z'. The aligned castellations 16, 18 define 7 a channel through which a rod 125 is inserted in the 8 direction shown by arrow 'W'.

The ratchet straps 118 can be shortened to any 11 suitable length to effect a connection between the 12 platform units and the fixed structure. The rods 13 have a diameter of 35mm and are manufactured from 14 ERTALON GF30. The rod 125 used to connect the platform units side-by- side may be manufactured from 16 Nylon 6 and has a diameter of approximately 12mm.

18 The platform apparatus 10 further comprises T 19 connector blocks 50 which are provided at intermediate points around the perimeter of the 21 platform apparatus 10, such as the corners of the 22 platform units 12. The T-connector blocks receive 23 the bars 30 and rods 24 therein and they engage by 24 threaded connection. The T-connector blocks also receive posts 52 which extend from the T-connector 26 block 50 out of the plane of the platform unit 12 in 27 an upwards direction. At the opposite end of the 28 posts 52 a Kevlar(TM) tape extends between the posts 29 around the perimeter of the platform apparatus 10 to provide a hand rail 54 therearound. The tape can be 31 E131 tape, 25mm wide also supplied by Bainbridge.

1 Opposite ends of the platform units 12 have attached 2 toe-boards 60 welded thereto. The toe-boards 60 can 3 be held upright by ties (not shown) connecting them 4 to the hand-rail 54 or the posts 52. Where the platform unit 12 is not at the edge of the platform 6 apparatus 10, the toe-boards 60 can be flattened and 7 placed over the end-to-end connection between 8 adjacent platform units, as shown in Fig. 16b.

At the sides where the toe-boards are not provided, 11 webbing 56 extends between the hand-rail 54 and the 12 rods 24 to provide a side to the platform apparatus 13 10. The webbing 56 can be any suitable material 14 such as Scaffold Guard Coverall supplied by Bainbridge or the PVC- coated polyester sold under 16 the product number WI530/FR by Lows of Dundee, Great 17 Britain.

19 Intermediate ties 48 may be provided on the platform unit 12e, at points B shown in Fig. 12, so that only 21 a portion of the platform unit 12e need be utilised 22 in the event that the required platform area is less 23 than the area of a single platform unit or between 24 the areas of multiple platform units. The superfluous portion of the platform unit 12e past 26 the intermediate ties 48 is not used and is normally 27 tied up or bagged but can be allowed to hang 28 unemployed.

The platform apparatus 10 is provided as a kit and 31 assembled in situ, for example, as shown in Fig. 1 32 (the tensioners 46 and end ties 44 are not shown in 1 Fig. 1). The platform apparatus 10 may comprise a 2 single platform unit, such as the platform unit 12a 3 shown in Fig. 2, or a series of platform units such 4 as the platform units 12a-12d, shown in Fig. 1, each platform unit 12 being connected to adjacent 6 platform units as described above. It will be 7 appreciated that any number and combination of 8 platform units 12 may be erected depending on the 9 size and shape of the required platform.

11 To erect the apparatus 10 as shown in Fig. 1 a first 12 platform unit 12a has the bar portions 30a, 30b 13 inserted through its sleeves 20, 22 at opposite 14 edges thereof. The bobbins 32 are then threaded onto the bar portions 30a, 30b to form the bars 30 with 16 connected bobbins 32.

18 The castellations 18 of the platform unit 12a are 19 aligned with opposite castellations 16 of a further platform unit 12b and the rod 24 is inserted through 21 these aligned castellations 16, 18 of adjacent 22 platform units 12a, 12b to form a connection 23 therebetween. The bars 32 and rods 24 threadably 24 engaged with the T-connector blocks 50 at each corner of the platform unit 12a.

27 The platform units 12c and 12d are prepared and 28 connected together in the same manner. The adjacent 29 bars 30 of the platform units 12a & 12c may be inserted into the connector blocks 42 but it is 31 preferred to connect the bobbins 32 of said bars 30 32 by way of the ties 40 which extend around the 1 bobbins 32 on said bars 30 to form a connection 2 between the bars 30 and therefore between adjacent 3 platform units 12a and 12c, as shown in Fig. 9. The 4 toe-boards 60 on the interface 72 between the platform units 12a and 12c are flattened out over 6 the interface 72 as shown in Fig. 16b. The platform 7 units 12b and 12d are connected in the same manner.

9 The connected platform units 12a-12d thus form an aggregate platform 13.

12 End ties 44 are then attached to the bobbins 32 on 13 one side of the perimeter of the platform 13. The 14 ties are onwardly connected to a fixed structure.

Further end ties 44 are attached to bobbins 32 on 16 the bar 30 at the opposite side of the perimeter of 17 the platform 13 to the end ties 44. Tensioners 46 18 are attached to these further end ties 44. The 19 platform 13 is then pulled taut and the tensioners are secured to a fixed structure. The tensioners 46 21 can be adjusted to vary the tension of the platform 22 12a-12d.

24 The posts 52 are then inserted into the T-connector blocks 50 which extend around the perimeter of the 26 platform 13. The Kevlar (TM) tape is secured to the 27 posts 52 and extended around the perimeter of the 28 platform 13 between the posts 52 to form the hand 29 rail 54. The toe boards 60 at the perimeter, more particularly at the ends, of the platform 13 are 31 held upright by ties (not shown) extending from the 32 hand-rail 54.

1 At the sides of the platform 13, the webbing 56 is 2 hung from the hand-rail 54 to form a side wall 56.

4 Further ties (not shown) connect the hand-rail 54 to the fixed structure although tensioners are not 6 required to tension the hand-rail 54.

8 Thus the platform may be walked over by workers 9 attending to maintenance of an adjacent structure.

11 The apparatus 10 may be adapted to fit around pipes 12 or other obstacles of a fixed structure. For 13 example, the material 14 of the apparatus 10 may be 14 cut and fitted around the obstacles and then welded back together in si tu. Patches (not shown) may be 16 used to secure the material 14 back together and 17 said patches can be made from, for example, the high 18 tenacity polyester material supplied by Lows of 19 Dundee, Scotland under the product number PW900.

21 An advantage of certain embodiments of the present 22 invention is that the hand rail acts as a safety 23 barrier to reduce the danger of workers falling from 24 the platform 13. Furthermore, the provision of sides 56 and/or toe- boards 60 in certain embodiments 26 of the invention also reduce the likelihood of 27 workers falling from the platform 13.

29 A further advantage is that in certain territories, skilled ropeaccess personnel are not required to be 31 employed to work on certain embodiments of the 32 present invention.

1 Another advantage of certain embodiments of the 2 present invention is that they are quicker to erect 3 than traditional scaffolding.

Moreover, embodiments of the present invention are 6 easier to transport than traditional scaffolding 7 units since, for example, the platform units may be 8 rolled up and provided in a single carry bag during 9 transportation, and this provides certain embodiments with great benefits over traditional 11 scaffolding units used in a variety of industries 12 such as those on offshore drilling/production rigs, 13 bridges etc. Certain embodiments of the present invention benefit 16 from a reduced quantity of rigging equipment and 17 connectors when compared to some known systems.

19 A further advantage of certain embodiments of the present invention is that the material used for the 21 platform 13 is generally inelastic and so results in 22 little deflection when walked over by workers 23 offering high stability and a stable platform to 24 work from.

26 Another advantage of certain embodiments of the 27 present invention is that the platform can be 28 tailored to the shape and size required depending on 29 the specific circumstances of where it is being employed.

1 A further advantage of certain embodiments of the 2 present invention is that the order of erection of 3 the platform apparatus 10 may be varied where 4 technically difficult access is required to an area.

6 Should only a single platform unit 12a be required 7 then the ties 44 can be attached to the bobbins 32 8 on each of the bars 30 and the platform erected 9 without attachment to adjacent platform units.

11 Modifications and improvements may be made without 12 departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (1)

1 Claims 3 1. A platform apparatus comprising: 4 at least one platform

unit comprising a flexible platform; and 6 means to secure at least one platform unit to a 7 fixed structure.

9 2. A platform apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a hand-rail.

12 3. A platform apparatus according to claim 2 13 comprising a spacer to space the hand-rail away from 14 the at least one platform unit.

16 4. A platform apparatus according to claim 3 17 comprising a plurality of spacers adapted to extend, 18 in use, out of the plane of the at least one 19 platform unit.

21 5. A platform apparatus according to any preceding 22 claim wherein the at least one platform unit is 23 manufactured from a low stretch, composite material.

6. A platform apparatus according to any preceding 26 claim comprising a plurality of platform units, 27 wherein each platform unit is adapted to connect 28 with at least one adjacent platform unit.

7. A platform apparatus according to claim 6 31 wherein each platform unit comprises at least one 32 sleeve portion at an edge thereof.

1 8. A platform apparatus according to claim 7 2 comprising at least one substantially rigid member 3 which is adapted to extend through said sleeve 4 portion(s).

6 9. A platform apparatus according to claim 8 7 comprising at least two substantially rigid members, 8 said members having connection means to effect an 9 end-to-end connection therebetween.

11 10. A platform apparatus according to claim 8 or 12 claim 9 comprising at least two substantially rigid 13 members and ties adapted to connect at least two 14 adjacent substantially rigid members.

16 11. A platform apparatus according to claim 9 or 17 claim 10 comprising connector blocks adapted to 18 engage with at least two substantially rigid 19 members.

21 12. A platform apparatus according to any preceding 22 claim wherein the means to secure the at least one 23 platform unit to a fixed structure comprises 24 tensioners.

26 13. A platform apparatus according to claim 12 27 wherein the tensioners are Y-shaped ties, each tie 28 adapted to be secured to the fixed structure at a 29 single point and adapted to be secured to the at least one platform unit at two or more points.

1 14. A platform apparatus according to claim 12 or 2 claim 13 wherein the at least one platform unit has 3 channels formed therein for engagement with the 4 tensioners.

6 15. A platform apparatus according to any preceding 7 claim comprising at least one toe-board adapted to 8 extend, in use, in a generally upwards direction.

16. A method of erecting a platform comprising: 11 providing at least one platform unit comprising 12 a flexible platform, means to secure at least one 13 platform unit to a fixed structure; and 14 securing the at least one platform unit to the fixed structure.

17 17. A method according to claim 17 further 18 comprising attaching a hand-rail to the at least one 19 platform unit.

21 18. A method according to either claim 16 or claim 22 17 including providing a toe-board extending out of 23 the plane of the flexible platform.

19. A method according to any of claims 16 to 18 26 further comprising the step of providing a plurality 27 of platform units, adjacent platform units being 28 interconnected to form an aggregate platform.