The Best Means Of Access To The Exterior Of High Rise Buildings Is Rope Access

Industrial rope access is the best means of allowing workers to scale the outside of tall buildings in order to carry out a variety of jobs such as window cleaning or inspection of the building for safety purposes and maintenance. 

Rope access is by means of an eyebolt firmly fixed at the top of the building to be scaled, and the eyebolt fixing will depend on the type of material into which it is being inserted and its’ condition. Some materials such as concrete are usually strong enough to do the job, but the eyebolts must always be tested before being put into service and have to be tested at regular six month intervals. The fall arrest eyebolts only have to be tested every 12 months, but the eyebolt is only ever used once and if it is needed and comes into service, then the fall arrest eyebolt must be renewed.

The eyebolts are tested using a special test meter and the load must be held for the required time of 15 seconds without any indication of failure such as movement of the anchor point or damage to the surrounding structure, including mortar joints. The 15 second requirement is because resin anchors which are still curing or are marginal for safety may fail during this time. The eyebolts themselves may be made from galvanised steel and may be powder coated. They can also be made of stainless steel.  All eyebolts have to be marked according to British Standards.

The Installation Of Eyebolts

The eyebolt is the means by which a worker can be lowered down a building safely while working at height. However, there are a variety of different eyebolts which will be chosen according to the material into which the eyebolt is to be fixed.

For solid brickwork, provided the brickwork is sound and the mortar in good condition, a resin socket type eyebolt can be used: this is an eyebolt screwed into a socket set in resin. However, many of the buildings in the UK constructed of solid brickwork are at least 80 years old, and as such the bricks have weathered and the mortar joints are weak. Trial tests need to be done in order to assess the safety or otherwise of the brickwork. If it turns out that it is weak, then a through fixing into a solid backplate could be considered.

Work positioning eyebolt installation into concrete is also usually of the resin socket type. Most concrete is perfectly strong enough to do the job provided the installation is carried out correctly. However, if there is any doubt, work positioning eyebolt testing must again be undertaken.

For cavity brickwork, the only choice is really a through fixing. Here an anti-compression tube needs to be used in order to prevent the cavity from collapsing when the nut is tightened, either when the eyebolt is installed or when it is subsequently tested as required by law.