Providing safe access for facade maintenance
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A guide for Architects, Builders and Building Owners
Facade maintenance is an ongoing and never ending requirement for companies wanting to uphold a high class corporate image.
The task can be labour intensive, costly and involve the hire of expensive equipment to enable safe access for window cleaning or other maintenance tasks. Traffic management, footpath and road closures may also have to be included into the work plan.
Many glass / curtain wall facades don't have load bearing capabilities. Any rope access (abseil) over these facades must be independently supported so that there is no load applied and for this reason specialist equipment is often required.
Building designers are responsible to incorporate fall protection and facade maintenance systems into their documentation and consider the work to be undertaken when making equipment selection.
For existing buildings, it is the responsibility of the PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) to ensure that their workers are supplied with user friendly, compliant and efficient systems that offer the safest way to perform work at height.
So, what options do you have to ensure safe and easy maintenance for building facades?
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Davit systems installed at BMW, Mulgrave provide minimal visual impact whilst ensuring easy facade maintenance.
The systems - advantages & disadvantages
A variety of systems are available allowing personnel to maintain facades, all with varying degrees of user functionality and safety. Note that all of these systems require trained personnel to operate them so it is important that only qualified and experienced workers use them.
Consideration must also be given to the type of facade that is going to be maintained and its structural integrity ie. glass and lightweight materials versus masonry or steel.
Types of facade maintenance systems are generally as follows:
Rigid Rails / Davits / Needles
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Davit Systems are being used more and more for facade maintenance and are a cost effective, time saving solution.
They have many benefits, including multiple user capability, effortless mobility and facade integration.
Glass / curtain walls can easily be accessed by selecting a davit system which supports the suspended load of an operator. Mounted onto the roof or wall, a Davit System allows workers to safely maintain the facade without applying load to the curtain wall.
Increasing in popularity due to its minimal aesthetic impact and versatility, Davits can also be supplied on a rigid rail system which gives the operator ability to roll along the length of the facade, thus reducing the time required by the operator to manually re-position themselves.
Needles, a relatively new system, are also making a strong impact in the facade maintenance arena. These systems are similar to Davits in that they apply no load to the facade but are particularly suited to metal deck roof installations where the load on the roof deck needs to be spread to avoid any damage to the roof area. Needles are modular in design, and can be configured in length, height and movement to provide a fit for purpose solution based on the specific needs of the project.
Davits, needles and rails are best installed during the construction phase of the building especially where cast- in components are required such as the davit mounting bases or structural steel supports for rail systems. Retro fit systems can certainly be done but it becomes a lot more difficult to ensure suitability of fixings and sometimes inclusion of additional structure where required.
Advantages:
Easy access to difficult to reach areas
Effortless mobility
Low maintenance and dust resistant
Multiple user capability
Easily extended to cater for future requirements
Little to no aesthetic impact, can be concealed
Compact system, not requiring large installation space
Limitations:
Requires a qualified rope access operator
Want to know more about Rigid Rail? Read the case study below.
Building Maintenance Units
A building maintenance unit (BMU) is an automatic, remote or controlled mechanical vehicle with a cradle that can be suspended from the roof. The unit moves around the upper level of a structure while carrying personnel, enabling them to conduct maintenance on the building.
Advantages:
Wide working area
Multiple person use
Reduced risk level
Suitable for tall buildings
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Limitations:
Large initial investment
Limited ability for retro-fit to existing buildings
Expensive and ongoing maintenance and recertification required sometimes several times throughout the year
Large roof space needed to house the unit
Greater risk of breakdown due to complex machinery
High structural load requirements
Elevated Work Platforms
Elevated Work Platforms (EWPs) are mobile units used to provide temporary access for people or equipment to elevated areas. Often referred to as a "cherry pickers" or "scissor lifts", they are positioned below the work area and the platform is elevated to the height required. They are usually rented for the required length of the works.
Larger units can take up significant space on the ground and may necessitate the area around them to be barricaded off, with pedestrian and vehicle traffic diverted.
Advantages:
Relatively low rental cost
Versatile reach range
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Limitations:
Larger units can have significant sized footprints
Generally two person use capacity
Traffic management plans for road and footpath closures may be necessary
Not suitable for very tall buildings
Extended work time frames due to re-positioning of equipment
Rope Access (Abseil) Anchor Systems
Rope access anchors are a cost effective option when it is impractical to install larger permanent systems.
They are low maintenance, only requiring recertification 12 monthly, and are simple to use. Roof anchors offer the operator easy access to difficult to reach areas and require minimal set up time.
Advantages:
Flexible
Low cost
Ideal for narrow or difficult to reach areas
Easily added to existing buildings
Low maintenance
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Roof anchors enable the operator to access difficult to reach areas easily.
Limitations:
Maximum yearly recertification
Cannot be used on some glass / curtain facades as the rope loads may damage the facade. In this circumstance, it is recommended to use Davit Systems as they are engineered to extend passed the facade to avoid the possibility of any damage.
In most cases single use only
Requires skilled rope access (abseil) operators
Scaffolding
Time is money and the time and effort required to install scaffolding, particularly on smaller jobs, can be cost prohibitive.
In light of recent tragic events which have seen the construction of scaffolding coming under scrutiny due to several collapses, there is even more emphasis on quality control and structural checks so you must ensure that the company you choose are fully qualified in this field.
Advantages:
Access to most areas with relative ease once erected
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Limitations:
Long set up and removal times
Time and cost can be excessive on small projects
Summary
The decision on which system to use for facade maintenance requires careful consideration but there is always a workable solution.
Each building is different and roof access and height safety is not a one size fits all, therefore you should always consult a height safety specialist to ensure the systems you are selecting and installing are compliant and fit for purpose.
The Kattsafe team can assist you with new system designs or conduct auditing and /or system installation on your existing buildings.
For advice on your requirements, contact us on 1300 301 755 or sales@kattsafe.com.au.
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