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Modular Access System with Bridging Creates Safe Dock-to-Ship Connection in Critical Navy Refit In a bold milestone for American naval operations, the USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), a 505-foot, 7,100-ton Arleigh Burke–class destroyer, was successfully drydocked at the BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair Facility using a 25,000-ton shiplift system. The historic lift marks the first time a destroyer of this class has been docked using this method and signals a new era in U.S. Navy ship maintenance. But while the headlines focus on what happened below the ship, what made the work possible above was just as critical. To safely and efficiently move hundreds of personnel between the dock and the ship’s entry points, SafeSmart Access deployed a Z-Stack modular stair tower system, complete with a custom bridging platform. Together, these elements formed a secure, OSHA-compliant access corridor, connecting drydock ground level to the ship’s deck without the need for scaffold or permanent fixtures. Drydock Access Reimagined Shipyards have long relied on scaffold towers or gangways to manage movement between dock and vessel, but both approaches come with limitations: time-consuming setup, inflexibility, and potential safety hazards in high-traffic areas. For this critical U.S. Navy vessel, SafeSmart’s Z-Stack provided a complete modular access solution, from the dock floor, up the stair tower, and across the bridging platform to the vessel itself. The system was deployed quickly after the drydock lift, creating an immediate safe pathway for maintenance crews to begin their work. The Z-Stack system ensured: Uninterrupted crew movement from dock to ship Stable, anti-slip surfaces throughout the full access route Compliant fall protection across all transition points Elimination of ladder use, scaffold builds, or unsafe improvisations Safety Meets Speed in a Complex Setting This drydock operation was part of a larger initiative to extend the life of the USS The Sullivans,

Disclaimer: Images featured in this blog are not owned by SafeSmart Access. All rights to imagery related to the Las Vegas A’s stadium construction belong to the Oakland Athletics organization and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. These images are used solely for editorial and informational purposes to support project context. Why SafeSmart’s Most Versatile Stair System Is Replacing Ladders on America’s Largest Construction Sites In the heart of Las Vegas, where billion-dollar projects rise from the desert floor, a new chapter in baseball history is being built. The Las Vegas A’s new stadium, a 9-acre, state-of-the-art facility, is moving full speed ahead on the south end of the Strip. Slated to be one of the most advanced ballparks in the country, it’s already turning heads for more than just its future roster. According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, the project is “on time and on budget,” thanks in large part to Mortenson-McCarthy, the joint-venture construction team behind Allegiant Stadium. Even the A’s players who recently toured the site were impressed; especially when they stood in what will soon be their clubhouse, complete with hydrotherapy pools already poured and ready. But while the spotlight shines on renderings and concrete milestones, there’s another innovation helping keep the jobsite on track, SafeSmart Access’s AdjustaStairs. Photo by MLB.com Bringing Safety and Speed to Every Level As work progresses upward across multiple decks and elevations, access between those levels becomes critical. Traditional ladders can be risky, slow to use, and completely impractical when crews are moving heavy gear or navigating formwork zones. That’s where AdjustaStairs became a necessity. Used throughout the Las Vegas A’s stadium jobsite, these adjustable, self-leveling stairs have been deployed to create fast, safe connections between floor slabs, work decks, and grade transitions, without the need for anchoring, welding, or complex scaffolding systems. Instead of

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