In my column last week, we asked, "Think about your facility. How many ladders and platforms do you think you can eliminate?"

75 percent answered "5 or more," and 25 percent said "3."

Here are some other thoughts on the subject:

>With modern mobile personnel lift platforms, a lot of these can be eliminated provided space is allowed to maneuver them safely for needed work efforts. One of these could easily replace the need for a dozen or more of the platforms, ladders or stairs.

>Your ideas are good, and practicable to a point. Most useful when designing new systems, although there are distressingly few such projects these days. I do not worry much about well built stairways, but ladders and awkwardly designs stairs are an issue. I particularly like cameras on drones for much inspection. They would cover many areas with no normal access.

>Remote sensing requires investment on instruments which is not always available

>Needs to be done during design/build.

You may take this week's quiz here.