For Doncaster Civic Office, the client required rope access works for an assignment that didn’t fall under our usual remit.
The brief
Smart window solution company TechnoShade asked us to help with the inspection and maintenance of automated roller blinds at Doncaster Civic Office.
Accessing the blind and motors was going to be difficult so the client decided to commission rope access techniques to reach the blinds located in the ceiling of the council building, on the sixth floor over an atrium.
The building
The new Doncaster Civic Office was opened in 2013, consolidating numerous council offices into one energy-efficient building. The five storey rectangular tower block was built in glass and steel at a cost of £20 million.
The work
We accessed the 20 blinds, motors and tensioning cables to conduct a full visual and tactile inspection, both while turned off and while in motion. We also tightened the tension of any loose guide cables.
Access was awkward because the blinds were located inside a fully operational, open plan office.
This was inspection and maintenance work that was different to our regular projects. From our position at height we were able to advise, direct and be the eyes and ears of a third party engineering company on the ground.
Benefits to the client
Rope access proved to be the only hassle-free solution to a logistical headache. Without rope access expertise, the client was unable to reach the blind and motors to complete the inspection and maintenance work.
By sharing our expertise we were able to collaborate with the client to complete the work to their safety specifications, with minimal disruption. Rope access techniques on an operational site don’t cause the mayhem associated with scaffolding and MEWPs (mobile elevating work platforms).
We were able to assist the third party engineering company by remotely showing them what we could see and the work we were doing.
Benefits to people who use the building
Workers and visitors to the site were able to use the building as normal while we carried out the work. This was particularly important in a council building that is busy with workers and members of the public.