What Are Mast Climbers?
A fully customisable, vertically travelling platform attached to the outside of a building, a mast climber is a common vertical access option that is used in the construction industry alongside more traditional scaffolding.
Powered by a drive unit that moves the platform using a rack and pinion gear, the mast climber travels up and down one or more vertical masts giving workers access to the entire external façade of a building.
Available in a range of sizes and payloads, mast climbers are promoted by IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) and can be used on multi-storey buildings of all varieties.
While in the UK they are most commonly known as mast climbers, across the globe they are also often referred to as motorised scaffolding. However, for the purpose of simplicity, Apollo sticks to the recognised names in the UK that include mast climbers, mast climber work platforms or MCWPs.
Smarter Access. Better Results.
At Apollo Cradles, our mast climber work platforms are built with a strong, modular steel design, offering exceptional flexibility to suit a wide range of project requirements. Platform lengths range from 2.8 to 13.4 metres for single mast setups and from 6.7 to an impressive 35.9 metres for twin mast systems—allowing us to match the exact dimensions of your building façade.
Our platforms can operate free-standing up to 9 metres high, or reach heights of up to 150 metres when tied to a structure. With a maximum load capacity of 4,550kg on twin mast configurations, our systems are built to handle even the most demanding workloads safely and efficiently.
For more complex architectural designs, we offer specialist mast climber solutions tailored for angled facades at 80°, 100°, or 110°. Even at these angles, our platforms stay level, ensuring a secure and practical work surface at every height.
Efficient, Versatile, and Space-Saving Mast Climber Solutions
A typical mast climber configuration covering a façade of 20m length and 30m height could be installed in as little as 3 days. Due to their modular system, Apollo can design a mast climber configuration that suits your needs in the smallest possible footprint. Mast climber use on a site will also reduce the number of ties in a façade when compared to scaffold.
Our mast climbers can be supplied with front or rear extended platforms to access tricky areas like balconies or façade fins meaning we will always find a solution for you.
Built for Safety, Designed for Confidence
Mast climbers represent the latest in access technology—engineered to prioritise safety for both workers on the platform and others on site. Proven to reduce the risk of injuries, they offer a smarter, safer way to work at height.
At Apollo Cradles, every mast climber comes fully equipped with advanced safety features, including electrical / mechanical & centrifugal safety braking, limit switches, and secure guard rails—ensuring a protected work environment at all times.
Apollo’s mast climbers that are compliant with EN 1495:1997+A2:2009 and installed as per BS 7981:2017.
Brickwork
Laying bricks is a labour-intensive task. Moving heavy materials and working at a variety of heights, the work itself is perfect for a mast climber.
With scaffolding, the levels are fixed. As work progresses, workers have to stretch, stoop and bend, putting their bodies as risk. This problem is removed with a mast climber making it an ideal vertical access option for the bricklaying trade. The MCWP can be driven to the optimum height and ‘chase’ the brickwork as it ascends the building one brick at a time.
Loading and unloading materials onto scaffolding is a huge bottleneck, too.
The higher the building the more elaborate the lifting equipment required. This doesn’t even factor in the time carrying the equipment to the designated section of scaffolding.
The mast climbing work platform takes all of this away. In fact, timing your descents allows for teams to load up the platforms in synchronisation with comfort breaks, streamlining entire projects.
The following link is a case study commissioned by the HSE to highlight issues faced by bricklayers and the advantages of mast climbers within this industry
Using mast climbers – Construction occupational health case study COH02
Mast Climber Attachments
Apollo Cradles have been challenged by our clients in recent years to provide various solutions where site conditions, type of work and enhanced risks have been identified. This has led to the introduction of the following attachments for our fleet of mast climbers:
- FOPS, Falling object protection (Roof protection).
- DOPS, Dropped object protection system.
- Loading brackets, loading facility for pallets or similar from ground.
- Cable guide system, Cable containment system.
- Catenary wire system, Material restraint system.
- Reverse loading bay, Point loading positions for materials.
- Push out decks, To enable working access to stepped facades.
- Balcony access decks, Offering a ‘Safe System Of Work’ to balconies for façade refurbishments.
- Lighting, Supplying task lighting for the working façade.
- Wing / end sliding decks, To offer access via an end push out deck.
- Mast drop down deck, Providing access behind the vertical mast.
Apollo Cradles team can assist with your particular site requirements with the mast climber attachments, this can be achieved with early engagement to ensure the design and temporary works meet with your particular site and the intended use of mast climbing work platforms.
At Apollo we like to be challenged with your site-specific requirements, please get in touch and we draw on the team’s experience to offer a solution.
Click the images below to expand
Balcony Access Deck
Cable Guide System
Centenary Wire System
Dropped Object Protection
Loading Brackets
Mast Climber Lighting
Mast Drop Down Deck
Push Out Decks
Reverse Loading Bay
Roof Canopies
Wing, End Sliding Deck
Mast Climber Shelf Brackets
Apollo Cradles have been challenged by our clients in recent years to provide solutions where site constraints require the mast climbers to be based from an elevated position, in circumstances such as below;
- Restricted site boundary
- Underground services
- Site access constraints
- Access to critical services such as sub stations
- Remove the need for underpropping to lower floors
Apollo have engaged with a renowned temporary works design company and have developed a modular / reusable system using a mixture of RMD type components.
With every situation Apollo supply a full calculation report and can also offer a demonstration where required should you project require it. Category 3 calculation scan be offered as part of the design.
IPAF Training
Apollo Cradles offer training at our Barnsley IPAF training centre or on your project / construction site. In line with current legalisation & Code of practice BS7981:2017 (The standard for code of practice for the installation, maintenance, through examination and safe use of mastclimbing work platforms) Apollo strongly recommend IPAF training for all users of mast climbing works platforms.
Click here to contact us to book an IPAF training course. Alternatively you can phone our office on 01226 700079.
