Industry: Construction | Location: Waikiki, Hawaii | Product: Z-Stack by SafeSmart Access
A First-of-Its-Kind Solution in the Heart of Waikiki
In one of the most logistically complex construction zones in the world, Waikiki’s bustling hotel corridor, SafeSmart Access partnered with PCL Construction to solve a major jobsite challenge: how to provide mobile, multi-level stair access without the drawbacks of traditional scaffolding.
The result? A groundbreaking deployment of Z-Stack, SafeSmart’s modular access tower system, paired with a custom-engineered, non-anchored steel rostrum designed to hold the entire stair structure without tying into the building itself. This was the first time Z-Stack had been installed on a project of this type and scale, and the outcome exceeded every expectation.
It was a fully mobile, multi-story access system engineered to move efficiently across a job site, eliminating the need to disassemble and rebuild heavy scaffolding just to shift elevation points. The Z-Stack + rostrum combo enabled faster transitions between floor levels, reduced labor, and maximized safety, all while standing proudly in the public eye on one of the world’s most recognized shorelines.
The Build: From Unfamiliar to Unstoppable
Z-Stack’s core advantage lies in its simplicity and precision. Even for crews unfamiliar with the system, the assembly phase moved fast. With a small footprint and tight staging space near the base of the building, every bolt and beam had to be perfectly timed and placed.
The SafeSmart and PCL teams collaborated closely to adapt on the fly, without compromising safety or schedule. Workers on-site, most of whom had never built a Z-Stack before, took to the process with ease thanks to:
Clear, modular components labeled for sequence
Anti-slip stair treads and bolt-through platforms
Integrated handrail systems with T-bolt fasteners
Prop-and-brace engineering for fast structural adaptation
With zero welding, no hot work, and no need for certified scaffold crews, the Z-Stack was fully assembled and structurally sound in a fraction of the time traditional towers would have taken. Once built, it stays built.
The Lift: A New Standard in Modular Mobility
Once completed, the entire Z-Stack structure, spanning multiple levels, was ready to fly.
The installation site offered minimal leeway for rigging, but Z-Stack was built for this. Thanks to crane-friendly lifting points, rigid modular bracing, and precision balance control, the full tower was lifted in one piece from the ground staging area and floated into final position, suspended midair above the sidewalks and hotel guests of Waikiki.
Where scaffold would require dismantling, relocation, and reassembly, Z-Stack delivered drag-and-drop installation in a single coordinated lift.
This wasn’t just efficient—it was cinematic. Onlookers stopped to watch a 80-foot aluminum tower glide across the skyline like a monument of modern construction. And behind the scenes, everything was calculated down to the millimeter.
The Flight: A Moment of Innovation in Motion
As the tower lifted, the sun caught its aluminum frame, reflecting against the Pacific waters below. Hotel balconies filled with curious eyes as the Z-Stack soared through the air, supported by crane and stabilized by design. It was a moment that captured the essence of innovation; modular precision, engineered mobility, and on-site execution in perfect harmony.
The unique steel rostrum was outfitted with adjustable prop supports that transferred tower load directly into the concrete slabs, avoiding any need for permanent fixings. This approach:
Eliminated structural tie-ins
Preserved architectural integrity
Enabled future relocation or removal with ease
Reduced approval delays common with penetrating installations
When the Z-Stack touched down, it didn’t just land, it clicked into place with engineered certainty.
Final Placement: Prop-Supported Precision
Final positioning involved prop calibration, and a few finishing handrail installs—all performed without disruption to the larger site workflow.
The result? A fully functional, load-bearing stair access system, capable of being moved across the building as construction advanced floor-by-floor, without being rebuilt or disassembled.
Every detail, from the anti-slip stair angles to the standardized extrusion foot connectors, was designed to support worker safety, efficient movement, and flexible site logistics. This wasn’t just a stair tower. It was a statement.
Z-Stack vs. Traditional Scaffolding: A Clear Winner
Industry Takeaways: The Future of Access Has Arrived
This project wasn’t just a successful install. It was a paradigm shift.
It showcased how modular mobility, non-invasive engineering, and true product collaboration can reshape the construction landscape. More importantly, it proved that new ideas, when backed by strong execution, can make a real difference where it counts—on the ground, with the tradespeople doing the work.
Z-Stack isn’t a future product, it’s a present-day solution already transforming job sites across the U.S.
Ready to Upgrade Your Access Strategy?
If you’re still tearing down and rebuilding scaffolding every time you need to move access points—there’s a better way.
Z-Stack delivers flexibility, safety, and speed for high-rise, industrial, defense, and infrastructure jobs where time and labor matter most.
