Working at height, whether in construction or building maintenance is unavoidable but common sense and the right equipment will help to minimise the risks. The very first rule is to avoid working at height wherever possible but when it is absolutely necessary the golden rule is to plan and use the right equipment.
Building cleaning and maintenance will always require safe access to the roof and both exterior and interior facades and provision for this has to be built into the building at design stage.
Access to facades is largely by rope and although to see a worker dangling on a rope cleaning or maintaining the exterior of a large office block instantly signals danger to the casual observer but the argument for the safety of rope access largely been won – not just on the grounds of cost alone but also specifically on the grounds of safety.
Rope access is quantifiably proven to be a safe form of access. It will stand up to comparison with any other means of access and prove as safe or safer. – Published: 10th Oct 2003 in Health and Safety International.
The Sayfa Group range of abseil products offers an extensive choice from a simple eye-bolt fixing through to EdgeReil.
Sayfa Group Eyebolts
The simplest form of abseil anchor is an eye-bolt. Always used in pairs these are generally used for direct fix into metal or concrete. There are various sorts of eyebolt depending on whether they are to be visible or hidden and are ideal for use, when the rope travel is to be unhindered.
EdgeSeil posts
The choice for fixing to a roof is generally an abseil post as the extra height allows for different roof types and the necessary insulation and weathering (weather protection membrane). The rope should always be protected from damage if it has to pass over a roof edge or parapet.
Read more about our EdgeSeil Post range here: www.sayfagroup.co.uk/edgeseil-post
EdgeSeil Davit Arms
The better solution in the event that the rope has to travel over a roof edge, particularly if the roof edge is fragile or decorative, such as a balcony balustrade, is a davit arm and separate base. This is a neat unobtrusive and versatile system. The base is a permanent fixture in the building, generally located under a slab or hatch, and the arm itself is portable and stored at a central location. The recently introduced EdgeSeil Range from Sayfa are davit arms and bases designed to provide abseil points for operatives as well as to lift materials.
Read more about our EdgeSeil Davit range here: www.sayfagroup.co.uk/edgeseil-davit
EdgeReil
Without doubt, EdgeReil is the most versatile of all our abseil solutions.
EdgeReil is generally fitted around the perimeter of a building to give total access to the entire exterior or interior façade. It can also be fitted in smaller sections to give easy access to specific inaccessible areas. Should the roof be clear enough of obstacles, it can also be fitted down the spine of the roof of a building to give total abseil access to all faces. Made from aluminium it is both strong and lightweight as well as stylish and modern in design, complementing any structure.
Availability in lengths of up to 6 metres and a lightweight construction means that EdgeReil minimises the steelwork required to support it and thereby simplifies the design required for its installation.
Internally EdgeReil can be hidden behind the ceiling panels using specially adapted brackets, meaning that the system can be used unobtrusively in shopping malls and atria maintaining the smooth lines of the original design.