How to Install Tata Structura Products Safely and Effectively
Steel Structure installation is always a complicated affair, including roof design, Precision and expertise are critical throughout the erection process to ensure safety and coherence. Tata Structura’s strength, durability, and flexibility are unique features in various applications, such as high-rise buildings, bridges, airports, metro stations, shopping malls, stadiums, and other architectural and engineering fields.
Installing Tata Structura products demonstrates innovation and technological prowess in modern structural erection methodology. It is inevitably a synergy of human skills, advanced equipment, and machinery, all working together to develop structures that form the backbone of today’s remarkable progress. From the precision of advanced safety gears to the durability provided by efficient welding, the entire installation process plays a crucial role in producing high-quality steel structures.
Tata Structura: A Brief History
In 1985, there was a merger between Tata Steel and Indian Tube Company. The brand name i.e., Tubes SBU was the outcome of this eventful merger. Today, Tubes SBU is one of the leading manufacturers of welded pipes in India with an annual installed capacity of more than 4, 50,000 MT. In the present scenario, a range of products consists of Conveyance, Structural, Automotive and Boiler Tubes at the base plant in Jamshedpur and a few chains of EPAs (external processing agents) located in the city outskirts.
Tubes SBU operates under the brand name Tata Structura. This eminent brand conforms to IS: 4923 and 1161 for square, rectangular and circular steel sections. This unique hollow steel tube segment has a maximum manufacturing dimension of 250x250 mm, 300x200 mm, and 300 NB for square, rectangular and circular sections with a thickness between 2 mm and 10 mm. Due to changing demands, Tata Structura has added a new variety to its portfolio. The new product's name is GP/GI tubes in NB, measuring 20 to 50 mm with thickness between 1.4 mm to 2 mm.
Tata Structura has recently entered the retail space under the umbrella of Tata Structura World. Since its inception in 2005, it has taken pride in providing domestic consumers with complete, full-fledged solutions right from the design to the fabrication stage with the support of an in-house team of proven designers, architects, and engineers. This state-of-the-art product boasts varied applications ranging from infrastructural, industrial, architectural, general engineering, conventional power plants, solar power plants, railways, steel sector etc.
How Will You Install Tata Structura Steel Grade Safely and Effectively?
Construction with the help of any structural steel grade includes plenty of safety hazards. Tata Structura is no exception. Some risks occur instantaneously, like defective steel erection or site workers getting injured. Other risk classifications might be less apparent and obscure, leading to additional issues like cost escalation.
Therefore, the erection specialists and technical crew should find ways and means to start a project with expectations and finish the work with complete satisfaction. The following are the top six tips on how to install Tata Structura products safely and successfully:
1. Reasonable Visits to the Job Site
The practical impact of regular site visits, including roofing structures is the most crucial preparation for installing Tata Structura products in your structural steel project. These visits are compulsory before you even think of initiating the erection job.
Usually, you must fix your schedule to conduct some frequent site visits before installation commences. Site visits are necessary for all teams involved in the upcoming fabrication work. By doing this, they can identify potential hazards before they eventually occur. Even if the contractors make haste in starting the installation work, the authorities should visit and inspect the site until they satisfy themselves regarding the safety protocols.
You must confirm that your team has sufficient access and a free hand to carry the Tata Structura lot to the respective site. Ensure the lay-down plot is close-grained, firm, well-drained, and suitably graded. Possible pitfalls like the mesh of power lines must be pinpointed so they can be diverted or adequately insulated before installation begins. You can also recheck the foundation columns for any potential problems. The issues might be laying down the columns and pile caps on which the erection job will begin.
Checking and inspecting all these factors during your frequent site visits will guarantee that the Tata Structura steel-grade installation mission goes smoothly, avoiding unnecessary delays and minimizing safety risks. Productive site visits will also determine whether to invest more in additional work and procure more speciality equipment for the job commitment.
2. Perform Regular Toolbox Discussions
Further to site preparations, you must confirm that your dedicated crew is ready to sign up for the installation assignment. The relevant job is highly demanding, and lack of experience may invariably lead to project failure. For this reason, “Toolbox Talks” are an integral part of the supervisors to prepare the crew for the forthcoming installation job.
Toolbox Talks signify informal group discussions where project supervisors spread the message concerning safety hazards and explain the most appropriate practices and solutions when dealing with Tata Structura product installation. They can offer their valuable suggestions regarding safety precautions, keep every worker on the same platform, and strengthen the knowledge of experienced personnel on the prescribed safety guidelines about steel erection.
3. Provision of the Right Equipment for the Installation Job
One must confirm that all site workers and supervisors are fully equipped before starting the job. The safety gear should include the following:
• Fall protection gear
• Crash helmets
• Protective eyewear
• Safety shoes
• Tough work hand gloves
• Environment-appropriate apparels
• Lanyards/Toolbelts
The protective equipment should be mandatory to combat any safety risk or to avert the possibility of accidents. However, Tata Structura installation work can be challenging, and these safety items are prone to damage during work in progress. Therefore, the competent authorities should anticipate the situation and stockpile for prompt replacement of damaged items to make the work hassle-free.
4. Adhere to the Superior Practices for Structural Stability
It is imperative that following the safety practices should be customary, whatever the nature of work. The supervisors should check whether the structural frames are correctly installed and stable. It is beyond doubt that Tata Structura does not compromise the quality of materials. Still, the proper erection and fixing are the prime responsibilities of the technical crew doing the installation job.
Never allow construction loads on the unfinished steel structures; otherwise, it will pose a potential safety threat to the structure and the construction crew. Structural frames should be placed only when satisfactorily bolted, welded or secured to bear the load.
When the structural steel segments of Tata Structura, including the round steel pipe are still being installed, the engineers must use temporary bracings to intercept misalignment or dislodging of the steel pieces. Always check that the bracings are perfectly installed according to Tata Structura recommendations and specifications to ensure the stability of the erected framework. You can remove the bracing with the due approval of the team foreman or the technical supervisor.
5. Allow Only Certified Welders for Structural Erection
Welding is the common and the only trustworthy process for joining and reforming all structural steel segments. A majority of welding work is completed on the closed-door operation floor. However, there may be some exceptional cases where you can only go with fieldwork. Here, the onus lies on the supervisor to choose the welding experts who are certified and qualified to proceed with onsite welding.
This activity should be highlighted before the beginning of the job as it involves intricate techniques and procedures. A minor negligence can lead to a significant accident or may question the stability of your structural project in the coming days.
6. Follow a Progressive Inspection Schedule
Carrying out a progressive inspection schedule at each stage of the Tata Structura product installation process can help detect prospective errors and omissions more effectively. This undertaking will also reduce the recurrence of the errors that might halt the later stages of the erection work. The project authorities should take preventive steps and follow a progressive inspection schedule, as even the most minor loopholes in the rooftop structure might get detected initially. In that case, a severe safety risk can be averted.
An experienced crew can assist you in performing a comprehensive sweep of the project structure. The team can check and identify each connection point and every installed element for strength and tolerance. The technical team can make the necessary adjustments if they discover any notable fault. You can eventually restart the installation if the job passes the inspection and quality control formalities.
Conclusion
Handling construction projects with Tata Structura products can be challenging and require high precision. Only proven experts and qualified technical professionals should undertake the installation work. Installing new steel structures, in particular, demands meticulous planning and strategy, followed by foolproof execution. Knowing the state-of-the-art safety measures should be an added advantage in completing a structurally sound project, irrespective of its size and significance.
The whole installation process is a testament to steel fabricators' contemporary expertise and dedication, the precision of industrial equipment deployed, and the resilience of Tata Structura steel grade as a material. As one moves ahead, the role of Tata Structural steel fabrication and its subsequent erection will dominate in 2024 to enable safer, more durable and more versatile structures across the country and the world.
For more information on Tata Structura products, visit: https://www.tatastructura.com
