Temporary scaffolding is still the go-to access solution for industrial inspection and maintenance. But for many refineries, it’s also an overlooked drain on operating budgets—with costs ranging from $250,000 to $500,000 per year, sometimes just to support a single unit.
Let’s explore why those numbers are so common (and often underestimated), what drives costs higher on the Gulf Coast, and how robotic inspection technologies are helping operators streamline asset maintenance and reduce unnecessary spend.
In one real-world example from a refinery pipe rack project in the UAE, Al Hassan Engineering's contracted scaffolding services for:
15,000 cubic meters of tower scaffold
Erection/dismantling cost: AED 390,750 (~$106K USD)
10-month rental cost: AED 541,687 (~$147K USD)
Total: AED 932,437.50 (~$254K USD)
And that’s for one scaffold—on one section of pipe. Whether in the Middle East or the U.S., the underlying cost structure is similar: volume-based rental, high hourly labor rates, long dwell times, and limited reusability.
Refineries typically pay for scaffolding in four ways:
Setup/teardown labor, often billed hourly at $65–$75 on the U.S. Gulf Coast
Monthly rental of scaffold materials, often priced per cubic meter
Recurring inspections and safety modifications
Production delays due to scaffold access scheduling
Industry sources like BIC Magazine report that scaffold rental and labor can comprise hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit annually, and up to 20% of total field labor on large projects.
In the U.S. Gulf Coast, refineries regularly spend $250K–$500K per year per unit on scaffolding, especially where:
Piping is insulated and requires access through multiple layers
Dense vertical structures like towers or pipe racks complicate access
Scaffold rebuilds are frequent due to shifting inspection scopes
In these environments, traditional access methods actively work against the goal to reduce turnaround time or optimize workflows. Costs build, delays mount, and risk exposure increases.
This is where robotic inspection delivers immediate value.
ARIX Technologies robotic systems allow inspectors to safely access above-ground piping—no scaffolding, no insulation removal, no elevated work permits. This unlocks a fast-track path to:
Reduce cost of CUI detection
Capture inspection data 15x faster
Lower total inspection costs by up to 70%
Reduce risk and free up skilled labor
Optimize inspection workflows across your facility
In short: Robotic inspection ROI is clear when scaffold spend is even partially replaced by faster, smarter, autonomous access.
If you're spending $300K on scaffolding annually for a single unit, imagine:
Eliminating that for even two or three units
Saving $1M+ over 3–5 years
Applying that budget toward proactive planning, digital inspection records, or AI-driven corrosion modeling
Drastically reducing worker exposure and job site congestion
That’s not just a tech investment. That’s an operational unlock.