Well-known for its landmark work at inspecting towering smokestacks and pressure pipes in boilers, Skyriders Access Specialists (Pty) Ltd. recently showcased its flexibility with a pilot project at DIY and building materials specialist Builders Warehouse’ new client Oasis Water.

While the bulk of the installation and set-up work for the pilot project was undertaken successfully by Builders Warehouse itself at ground level, it was decided that rope access was the ideal solution for the work-at-height component.

This was not only due to health and safety issues, but also given the fact that installing scaffolding would not have been efficient from a cost and time point of view, Skyriders Marketing Manager Mike Zinn points out.

While a decision will be taken at a later stage as to whether or not to roll out the bottled water refilling stations at other Builders Warehouse locations, Zinn is confident that Skyriders will get roped into any future work in this regard, including any maintenance required.

“While the client had the necessary ground-level construction and plumbing skills, the issue it faced was that the sections of the piping needed to be installed at height, while the storage tanks for the pilot project were external to the building itself. This called for a work-at-height specialist to ensure the quick and safe installation of the necessary piping infrastructure,” Zinn explains.

While this pilot project at Builders Warehouse is a first for Skyriders, it is part of a concerted strategy to diversity into a range of niche markets where the full benefits of rope access can be showcased effectively.

Recently Skyriders completed another once-off project at a fast-food outlet at a major shopping centre, where it was required to install gas pipelines in hard-to-reach areas. This particular project was complicated by the fact that the work could only be carried out after hours, within a strict timeframe, in addition to a cordoned-off area for health and safety concerns.

“The limited space we had to work in, combined with the quick turnaround time, meant that rope access was a far superior solution to traditional scaffolding,” Zinn concludes. Apart from rope access, Skyriders offers an array of work-at-height, confined-space, and inspection and repair services, providing its diverse client base with complete maintenance solutions.