Improving Working at Height Safety with the All-Terrain Telescopic Platform (ATTP) | Met Office Case Study

Maintaining the UK’s national weather monitoring network requires reliable equipment, careful planning, and strict safety standards. For engineers responsible for servicing weather stations across exposed landscapes, accessing elevated sensors safely can be one of the biggest challenges.

When the Systems Engineering Team (SET) at the Met Office needed a safer interim solution for maintaining elevated solar sensors, the ATTP 5-Step from Henchman was exactly what was needed for the job.

The ATTP offered the team greater stability on uneven ground, improved confidence when working at height, and a safer way to maintain critical climate monitoring equipment.

Installing and Maintaining Unmanned Weather Stations Across the UK

Ollie Andrews, a Systems Engineer at the Met Office, works within the Systems Engineering Team and plays a key role in maintaining the infrastructure that collects meteorological data across the UK.

“Within SET, our day-to-day work primarily involves planning, building, and installing unmanned automatic weather stations throughout the UK and occasionally overseas.”

These stations collect vital data used for weather forecasting, climate research, and public safety. However, the locations chosen to produce the most accurate data are often some of the most exposed and challenging environments to work in.

The Challenge of Safe Access Equipment for Working at Height

Many sensors used in weather monitoring are mounted several metres above ground level on masts. Historically, field service engineers accessed these sensors by climbing the mast and securing themselves using work-position lanyards.

As safety practices evolve, the organisation has committed to reducing and eventually eliminating traditional work at height wherever reasonably practicable.

“Working at height is one of the leading causes of workplace injury, so every task is individually assessed with great care.”

With this objective in mind, the Met Office is developing mast-lowering systems that will allow maintenance to be carried out safely from ground level. However, until those systems are fully implemented, engineers require a safe interim solution to access elevated equipment.

Working on Uneven Ground at Remote Weather Monitoring Sites

Weather stations are deliberately positioned in exposed environments to ensure accurate readings for wind, rainfall, and solar radiation. This means engineers regularly encounter difficult terrain when carrying out maintenance. Ollie explains that every site has its own quirks, such as uneven terrain, molehills, raised concrete plinths and other environmental factors.

Stations may also be located on:

• Sloped or uneven ground
• Active airfields
• Landscapes exposed to the elements
• MOD and restricted sites

During a recent maintenance trip, the team encountered locations where ground levels varied significantly- “Several sites had significant variations in ground level that would have made a standard step ladder unusable.”

Why the MET Office Chose the ATTP 5-Step

To support interim maintenance work, the team turned to Henchman’s ATTP 5-Step adjustable platform. The platform is being used to maintain solar sensor masts that collect sunshine duration and solar irradiance data, key inputs for the UK’s long-term climate records. These sensors feed sunshine duration and solar irradiance data directly into the UK’s long-term climate record. By providing stable access to these sensors, Henchman’s ATTP allows engineers to maintain critical monitoring equipment safely while permanent mast-lowering systems are being developed.

A Stable Access Solution for Uneven Terrain

One of the biggest advantages of the ATTP is its independently adjustable legs, allowing engineers to level the platform on uneven ground.

With the ATTP, engineers were able to quickly adjust each leg to create a stable working platform. The platform’s large feet also provide improved weight distribution and ground contact, making it suitable for softer or uneven terrain.

Increased Confidence When Working at Height

For Ollie, the stability of the ATTP was evident straight away.

“We were immediately impressed by the build quality, functionality, and speed of delivery.”

After becoming familiar with the setup, the adjustable design proved simple and intuitive to use in the field.

“The leg adjustments are quick, simple, and easy to operate in the field, and the auto-locking pins are very reassuring.”

Compared with traditional step ladders, the difference in confidence was clear.

“I’ve used step ladders and lean-to ladders throughout my career and never felt truly confident on them. The ATTP 5-Step was genuinely a pleasure to use by comparison.”

That sense of security extended across the team as well.

“Both my colleague and manager feel completely confident using the ATTP.”

Helping Maintain Critical Climate Data Systems

The introduction of the ATTP 5-Step has also helped reduce operational pressure across the wider team. By enabling safe maintenance of solar sensors, the equipment ensures the organisation can continue collecting reliable environmental data.

“The ATTP has massively reduced the pressure around maintaining our solar data systems.”

This allows engineers to focus on developing long-term engineering solutions while maintaining the quality of the UK’s climate datasets.

Reliable Work at Height Equipment Engineers Can Trust

For engineers working in remote environments, reliable equipment is essential.

“Having the right tool always makes a job easier, and the ATTP 5-Step proved that on our recent maintenance trip.”

The ATTP’s different working heights, stable platform, and adjustability helped eliminate delays and workarounds during maintenance work.

“I genuinely don’t think we’d have achieved the same level of success without it.”

And in a busy field schedule, finishing efficiently matters too. “The fact it got us home in time for the weekend was an added bonus.”

Who Should Use an All-Terrain Telescopic Platform?

While often associated with professional gardening, the ATTP 5-Step is suitable for a wide range of industries.

According to Ollie, it’s ideal for anyone who regularly works outdoors on uneven ground.

“The ATTP 5-Step is extremely versatile and would suit anyone who regularly carries out non-electrical work outdoors or on uneven ground.”

This includes professionals working in:

• Environmental monitoring
• Utilities and field engineering
• Infrastructure maintenance
• Landscaping and horticulture
• Facilities management

ATTP 3-Step and 5-Step Available Across the UK and Europe

The ATTP range of all-terrain telescopic platforms, including both the 3-Step and 5-Step models, is available to customers across the UK and Europe.

With independently adjustable legs, a secure working platform, and oversized stabilising feet, these platforms offer a safer alternative to traditional step ladders when working outdoors.

If you’re looking for reliable work-at-height equipment for slopes, soft ground, or uneven terrain, you can explore the full ATTP range and purchase directly from here for the UK and here for the EU. 

Overall experience

When asked to summarise his experience using the Henchman ATTP 5-Step, Ollie kept it simple:

“A pleasure to use from start to finish.”