ROPE ACCESS
FEATURE SPONSOR
• Rope access - the appearance of the building is maintained/recognisable which for some e.g. historical buildings is important and reduces loss of business through closures, etc
Flexibility • Whereas scaffold, cherry pickers, etc. can assist work around the outside of the building, rope access can be used to access parts of the building which no other form of access is able to do safely
Safety • IRATA statistics confirm rope access as a safe form of access
• All IRATA member companies submit quarterly returns of hours worked/any accidents, etc which are analysed and produced to support the industry
• In fifteen years of collating reports IRATA has recorded minimal serious injuries; its 'reportable incident' rate reduces year-on-year
client caSe StuDy: hanDS CLEANERS LTD Brief
Hands Cleaners instructed us to assess the theatre in order to come up with access solutions to clean the internal and external glazing and supporting steel work of the building.
ROPE ACCESS BENEFITS
Rope access provides an unrivalled safety record, a quick set-up and dismantling time, positive environmental benefits and no need for invasive access equipment or disruption of the site.
Like any other method of working at height, the application of rope access should be regarded as a complete system, in which planning, management, competence and suitable equipment should be treated with equal importance, to ensure a safe system of work.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF USING ROPE ACCESS?
The advantage of using rope access methods mainly lies in the safety and speed with which workers can get to or from difficult locations and then carry out their work, often with minimal impact on other operations and the nearby area.
60
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
Another major benefit is that the combination of the total man-hours and the level of risk for a particular task (man-at-risk hours) is often reduced when compared with other means of access and their associated risks and costs.
Speed • It takes minimal time for the Level 3 Supervisor to rig and get Technicians working safely
• Similarly at the end of the job, there is no lengthy dismantling of equipment
Cost • Rope access takes less time before Technicians can be working and thus saves on wages
• For small jobs, the cost of hiring scaffold, cherry pickers, etc. can be disproportionate to the work needed to be done
• If jobs are delayed the costs of extended plant hire can be negated by the use of rope access
Disruption • Unlike scaffolding which covers the building façade making access/egress difficult, rope access leaves entry points clearly visible and accessible
TOTAL ACCESS SOLUTION The building was originally designed to be cleaned via MEWP access. Once built the use of access platforms could not be used. Total Access (UK) Ltd installed mechanical fixings to the internal steel work to enable operatives to traverse the internal structure thus enabling access to the glazing.
The external elevations were completed using rope access and reach and wash methods using temporary weight systems enabling the cleaning to be carried out without the need for expensive road closures.
BENEFITS OF THE SOLUTION The theatre could be cleaned with multiple operatives without the use of costly access platforms & road closures, providing full access of the theatre to its employees and the public.
TESTIMONIAL
“Total Access (UK) Ltd acted in a very professional manor, all works were completed to a tight schedule and to a high standard.”
Total Access (UK) Ltd
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116