Building maintenance for high-rise and multi-storey buildings is a high-risk job that is not for the fainthearted. Rope Access technician is essential with such kind of maintenance.
Traditional EWP (elevated work platform), cranes and scaffolding rigs used for maintenance services like window cleaning is expensive to set up, pose a significant risk of harm to workers and bystanders if something goes wrong, and risks substantial damage to the property.
Abseiling professionals, more commonly known as rope access technicians, use their unique skills to more accurately and safely access a multi-floor property for construction, repairs and routine building maintenance.
Read on to learn about the many benefits of hiring rope access technicians for building maintenance and why Abseilers United is the best choice for providing a rope access technician in Sydney and surrounding areas.
What is a rope access technician?
A rope access technician is highly trained in the art of abseiling, also known as rappelling, which is the use of ropes and rigs to provide a controlled ascent or descent to a sheer face, like a cliff or a multi-story construction.
When it comes to high rise building window maintenance, a rope access technician can perform jobs that require lightweight and minimalistic tools and equipment.
What kind of jobs can a rope access technician perform?
Rope access technicians can perform various specialty jobs on large constructions, from scheduled maintenance to general cleaning.
Some examples of the many building maintenance solutions that a rope access technician can perform include, but are not limited to:
- Window cleaning
- External painting and repainting
- Rust removal and treatment
- Repair work
- Building inspections and reports
- Safety and quality control inspections
- Rigging
- Electrical and other trade work
- Minor construction and renovations work
- Pest control and more
Rope access technicians require nothing more than a safe anchor point and favourable weather to operate and can work on nearly any high-rise structure you can imagine.
Examples of structures that rope access professionals can provide maintenance services to include:
- Buildings
- Towers
- Bridges
- Radio masts
- Churches
- Dams
- Large community complexes
- Sporting stadiums
- Performance stages and more
A seasoned rope access technician is something to behold when they are in action. Rope access companies like Abseiler United genuinely are the most versatile solution for high-rise building maintenance.
What are the benefits of hiring a rope access technician over other services?
Unlike other high-rise and multi-storey building maintenance solutions, rope access professionals require much less space and equipment.
They also do not need bulky mechanical utilities and elevated work platforms such as:
- Scissor lifts
- Cranes
- Pulley operated platforms
- Scaffolding
- Ladders and more
Because rope access technicians do not require EWPs (elevated work platforms) and other bulky equipment, there is no need to block any traffic, restrict car park access, or provide safety officers and security to redirect foot traffic.
All a rope access technician needs to perform their duties is a secure anchor point to attach their rope and harnesses and safe weather conditions in which to work.
What is an anchor point?
An anchor point is a safe, sturdy, or custom-designed attachment that tethers the rope access technician and fall-safety system to the building or structure.
On a construction site or a high structure, in most cases, the rope access technician can create their anchor point utilising a safety-approved custom rig, like a flexible pull-through anchor.
Most high rise buildings and multi-story complexes are designed with anchor points for scheduled maintenance.
These anchor points could include:
- Concrete eyelet
- Purlin mount anchor
- Removable anchors
- Top mount anchors and more
If you are unsure whether your building has pre-installed anchor points, contact a team of rope access professionals like the ones here at Abseilers United for more advice.
Are rope access technicians cost-effective?
Rope access technicians can be significantly cheaper than EWP services. Aside from not needing to pass on excessive machine hire or equipment maintenance costs to their customers, rope access technicians also require less time for operations.
BMU, EWP and scaffolding vs rope access
Below are some approximate examples and comparisons of the potential time differences between EWP and scaffolding protocols compared to rope access technicians.
Elevated Work Platform building maintenance operations
- 2-hours set up
- 10-hours for operations
- 2-hours pack up
A typical EWP maintenance, repair or inspection operation could take up to 14-hours to complete.
This is more than the average eight-hour workday, meaning site managers, staff or security may require overtime while the operators perform their tasks, costing you more than just the services provided by the EWP team.
Scaffolding building maintenance operations
- 12-hour set up
- Eight hours of work time
- 12-hours to pack up
As you can see, the time it takes to set up and take down a safe scaffolding system is longer than the job takes to perform, making scaffolding a very costly exercise for potentially no added benefits.
Building maintenance unit (BMU)
- One-hour induction
- Six-hour operations
- One hour to clear site
To set up a structure with a BMU can cost hundreds of thousands in capital, with annual operations and maintenance costs in the thousands. These bulky and cumbersome systems can generally be avoided by hiring a rope access technician.
Rope access technician building maintenance operations
- One-hour set up
- Eight to ten-hour operations
- One-hour clear site
What can take other building maintenance services days or even a week to complete can be performed by a team of rope access technicians in eight to 10-hours on average.
In summary
Rope access technicians are the perfect choice for the savvy building manager, property owner or high-rise structure safety and maintenance officer.
To summarise the many benefits of hiring a rope access technician for your building maintenance, rope access teams offer:
- Safer work sites
- Cost-effective building maintenance operations
- Less disruption to regular site operations
- Less time for the operation to be completed
- Less risk to bystanders and passers-by
- Less overtime for in-house staff and security
- Less on-site maintenance equipment required
Rope access technicians also provide a slightly less, more streamlined operation, meaning your building’s architecture and aesthetics are less affected while operations are being conducted.
Abseilers United Sydney
As well as rope access building maintenance, Abseilers United also offers a range of other high-risk services, such as:
- Height safety and building anchor point solutions
- A range of licensed rope access trade solutions
- Confined space operators
- Rigging and lifting
- Stand by rescue and more
Contact the team here at Abseilers United today if you require advice or would like to book a consultation and quote with a rope access technician in Sydney.
Our Maintenance Services for High Rise Buildings:
