The Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS), recognising the importance and safety critical issue of working platforms, has published a revision to its Rig Track Loadings Spreadsheet.

The new revision incorporates a number of improvements. The ability now exists to factor-in eccentric loads, such as suspended equipment like augers or spoil chutes, and the new method caters for differing undercarriage designs ensuring that the bearing pressures can be calculated at all possible slew angles. The update also includes automatic warnings where data is obviously erroneous or incomplete.

The revised spreadsheet, which includes sample illustrative data, has been published following extensive testing and evaluation and is designed to work alongside supplementary documentation regarding track bearing pressures for platform design, and is available to download from the FPS website via http://goo.gl/oUBhQg
The FPS will be organising a training event to brief interested stakeholders in the new format. Further details will be circulated over the forthcoming weeks.

Alasdair Henderson, Chair of the FPS said: “Though rare, without proper preparation and undertaking the necessary calculations to determine track bearing pressure, there is always the risk that a rig could topple over. The revised spreadsheet has long been a useful tool for calculating track bearing pressures for safe platform design, and this new version improves on it by adding a number of modifications.”