New steel railings for the BSI

Project surveyors: Kirsop
Name of fabricator: Claydon Architectural Metalwork
Galvanized by: Joseph Ash Galvanizing
End client: British Standards Institute
Finish provided: Hot dip galvanizing and powder coating
Size and amount of steel: 82 linear metres in length, approximately 900mm high and weighing just under two tonnes.

Project goals
In 2014 the BSI required some steel railings outside their building in Hertfordshire as part of larger refurbishment works on the whole building. They engaged Kirsop as the project surveyors, who then engaged Claydon Architectural Metalwork (CAM) for the railings design, build and installation.

Producing any of kind of project for the British Standards Institute is a daunting task, because of the very nature of their work. As one of the world’s largest independent certification bodies for management systems, with over 120,000 registered sites across the globe, the BSI has very high standards to meet!

What happened
CAM was approached by Kirsop, the project surveyors, to design the new front elevation railings for the BSI building. CAM was happy to take on the project and they chose Joseph Ash Galvanizing to provide the finishing treatments: a duplex coating consisting of hot dip galvanizing and powder coating.

Kirsop asked CAM to design and build the new railings in early 2014. By June the railings were fabricated, at which point they were collected by trucks from Joseph Ash Medway, driven to Sittingbourne (where the plant is based) and prepared for treatment.

The railings have to last a long time, remaining attractive and protected from corrosion and rust. With this in mind Joseph Ash Medway treated the steel with a duplex coating consisting of a galvanized substrate plus a powder coated finish.

Once the steel had been treated, Joseph Ash Medway delivered it back to Claydon’s site in Suffolk, ready to be installed at the BSI.

Materials and size
The railings are made from steel and measure 82 linear metres in length and stand approximately 900mm high on top of the existing wall at the front entrance to the building. The steel weighed just under two tonnes.

Outcome
The railings have been standing outside the BSI building for six years and they look great. 

Both CAM and Joseph Ash Galvanizing were very pleased with the railings and work well together as a team.

Claire Rycraft, from CAM said: “As a company it is important for us to adhere to all the required BSI standards when completing work for customers – not just the British Standards Institute! Because of this, we choose suppliers to help us complete projects that also adhere to important standards. Joseph Ash Galvanizing is one such company and we have a great deal of confidence in their work.”