Insight – Rope Access
PTSG is trusted by its 20,000 customers to meet their varied specialist services requirements. Much of the time, our engineers carry out their highly specialised work at height, always employing the appropriate access method. This may be:
- Rope access
- Ladders
- Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs)
- Guy wires – for use on high structures such as flare stacks, towers, masts and industrial chimneys
- Scaffolding
Each technique requires a particular set of skills and knowledge and each of our engineers is suitably trained to work according to the guiding principles of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Rope access is a technique commonly used by our engineers. While it requires a high level of training and strict adherence to safety procedures, it offers great advantages to clients, enabling work to be performed in all corners of even the most challenging buildings.
Industrial rope access
Rope Access is arguably the safest method known to the industry of reaching high and awkward places. PTSG’s engineering teams design and install unique systems to suit customers’ specific requirements and by using tried, tested and approved techniques they access buildings safely, quickly and cost-effectively. Each team is also fully independent to accommodate any potential rescue scenario encountered.
Working from fail-safe anchors and using high strength industrial ropes, we can access and work on large areas smoothly and effectively by moving vertically and laterally with ease. Rope access technicians are also trained to work along beams and other supports.
Using a system of slings and attachments we can carry out a wide range of installation, maintenance and construction tasks which could otherwise have required the use of towers or mobile platforms.
Applications of rope access
- Steeplejack services
Our engineers maintain and protect structures such as church steeples and industrial chimney stacks – and all other high and unconventional buildings. - Guy wires
We are proud to be one of only a few companies in the UK that can tension and replace guy wires on high structures such as flare stacks, towers, masts and industrial chimneys. Maintaining flare stacks has become its own specialised industry and PTSG has led the way in developing the best techniques to maintain these tall and complex structures. - Pest control
We offer a range of measures to deal with the problem of roosting birds, which can cause damage to buildings and health concerns for occupants. - Signage
Rope access techniques offer a quick and economical solution to installing signage, with minimal disruption compared with other methods such as scaffolding. - Cladding removal/replacement
We can remove and replace cladding on buildings of all heights; we can also remove samples of cladding quickly and without any disturbance to building occupants when required for testing or inspection. - Decoration
We work to the level of safety and efficiency necessary for painting industrial chimneys as well as the care and skill required for historical and listed buildings. We can also carry our painting and repairs to decorative features of buildings. - Roof maintenance
Our teams maintain and repair hard-to-reach roofs, without the obstruction caused by costlier methods such as scaffolding. Our high standards are the same on modern buildings as they are on heritage structures such as cathedrals and churches. - Gutter cleaning
Often a problematic area for building managers, our experienced engineers take care to carefully clean all gutters and downpipes to ensure that all debris is removed, providing total peace of mind. - Window cleaning
We supply a range of high-level window cleaning services to commercial and industrial customers, with an emphasis on safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness. - Building cleaning
We offer a wide range of building cleaning and maintenance services to restore, enhance and protect the external elements of a wide range of commercial, industrial, public and private properties.
Our rope access engineers often work in tandem with engineers from other divisions to ensure the most effective solution for our clients. For example, our electrical services engineers are currently installing lightning protection systems at a number of London addresses for Real Estate Management UK Ltd. In the course of their work, they are directing abseil technicians from Building Access Specialists Ltd in the installation of lightning conducting tape.
