To kick off 2018, our specialist team are cleaning the hanging aircraft using rope access techniques at the RAF Museum in Cosford, ahead of the RAF's 100th birthday in April of this year! Read the Express & Star / Shropshire Star article here, including a video of our team in action:

 

It takes a lot of nerve, but these cleaners are flying high as they work on some of the most famous planes in the world.

There are eight aircraft suspended on display in RAF Museum Cosford’s National Cold War Exhibition, and it takes an expert team to ensure they’re looking their best for the coming year.

A team of six from cleaning firm Total Access are carrying out the work. No cleaning solutions are used, but dust that has gathered over the last 12 months is removed. And, although the team has performed the difficult task for several years, it is especially important in 2018 as the RAF celebrates its centenary.

RAF Museum Cosford public relations executive Michelle Morgans said: “It’s a busy start to the New Year and a spring clean on an epic scale as we carry out our annual high level aircraft cleaning.

“There are eight suspended aircraft displayed within our National Cold War Exhibition, each will be cleaned and their suspension cables checked during the course of this week by the specialists from Total Access, who have carried out this mammoth task on several occasions.

“As we gear up to celebrate the RAF Centenary throughout 2018, we want to ensure our aircraft are looking in the best condition for visitors to enjoy.”

Workers have been wearing harnesses and suspended from ropes connected to the metal rafters of the building of the museum at Cosford.

The crew will be cleaning the eight suspended aircraft in the Cold War section of the museum, as well as working on some of the larger planes which are on the ground but are difficult to access.

Among the planes to be cleaned is the Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF14, a radar-equipped night jet that was rapidly built as a response to Russia’s quickly improving air force. The Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, the world’s first large bomber to use the delta-wing shape for its wings, will also be polished over. The classic hunter, the Canadair Sabre 4, Douglas Dakota, English Electric Canberra and English Electric Lightning will also all be given a spring clean.

The RAF centenary is set to be a huge focus for the Cosford museum over the coming months.

The Cosford Airshow is set to be the “most spectacular and interactive” yet upping the ante for their 100th year. Set to take place on June 10, the air show will include a first-of-its-kind chronological showcase of 100 aircraft, displaying the development of aeronautical design and capability over the past century.

Video here

Article courtesy of Express & Star / Shropshire Star. See it in full here.

 

To kick off 2018, our specialist team are cleaning the hanging aircraft using rope access techniques at the RAF Museum in Cosford, ahead of the RAF's 100th birthday in April of this year! Read the BBC Midlands Today article here, including a short video of our team in action:

Aircraft suspended from a hangar roof at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, in Shropshire, have undergone their annual clean thanks to a specially-trained crew from Total Access UK Ltd of Eccleshall.

The team of six were attached to ropes and harnesses before being lowered on to the planes housed within the National Cold War Exhibition.

It's a particularly important year for the museum, as the RAF will mark its 100th birthday in April with a series of events called RAF100.

Video here

Article courtesy of BBC Midlands Today: Link here

Children's spirits were lifted as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles dropped before their eyes outside the windows of Ronald McDonald House.

There were exclamations of excitement and giggles galore as window cleaners dressed as cartoon characters Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael made a surprise visit to the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children on Monday.

 

 

About a dozen children waited patiently for the surprise visitors to appear before the workers, who had ditched their overalls for green-coloured suits and coloured bandanas, dangled from the rooftop and performed gravity-defying backflips.

Rope Access Engineering general manager James Howe said it was the second time staff at the abseiling company had dressed up – last year workers transformed into superheroes – as they cleaned the hospital's windows.

"Everyone was really on board with it, there was a bit of a fight to see who'd get to do it.

"It's priceless, you can't even describe it."

It was part of a trend that has seen window washers dress as superheroes and other novelty characters to turn frowns upside down at children's hospitals around the world.

Ronald McDonald House Canberra executive officer Michelle McCormack said there was plenty of excitement in the room and children remained in high spirits for the rest of the day.

"It was amazing. The opportunity for kids to have that kind of experience when they're sick themselves or they have a sibling receiving treatment – it just takes their minds off things for awhile."

Ms McCormack said she enjoyed observing the joy on parents' faces as they watched their youngster's faces light up, and the event was a welcome boost for staff as well.

It also created positive and lasting memories for kids at the facility, which provided a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families.

"What I see is that it sticks with them and they remember it if they come back, if they come back and visit they'll say 'I was here when the ninja turtles were here, or they'll ask where they are," she said.

"It just brings smiles to faces that would otherwise not be there."

(source)

 

 

 

 

Total Access (UK) Ltd's expert Site Services team are up with the planes at RAF Museum Cosford conducting a week long rope access clean and inspection of different aircrafts in the National Cold War Exhibition.

With over 70 aircraft of international importance housed in three Wartime Hangars and within the National Cold War Exhibition rope access is the perfect solution to the problem of a huge high level clean, and Total Access the perfect company to carry it out.

In 2007 the £12.5 million National Cold War Exhibition was opened at Cosford by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne. A number of the aircraft are suspended in flying attitudes. Iconic cars, models, audio visual hotspots and life-size Russian (Matryoshka) dolls, tell the story of the Cold War in an innovative way. This is the only place in the UK where you can see Britain’s three V Bombers: the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant.

 

Total Access (UK) Ltd has vast experience in carrying out high level cleaning using industrial rope access (known to many as abseil cleaning).

Our rope access cleaning contracts range from the cleaning of high level steelwork and building framework to all types of industrial, commercial buildings and structures using various methods from vacuuming to power washing. All our staff are IRATA qualified with an IRATA L3 Supervisor who oversees each team of IRATA Technicians.

 

curtesy of BBC midlands today – https://www.facebook.com/midlandstoday

 

 

 

Total Access (UK) Ltd

Graham Burnett delighted to be elected Vice Chair of the IRATA International UK Regional Advisory Committee

 

A message from Graham Burnett

 

At the recent UK RAC (Regional Advisory Committee) meeting, kindly hosted by CLS Offshore in Great Yarmouth, the results from the UK wide ballot for UK RAC Vice Chair was announced and I am delighted and privileged to have been elected to the post for the year ahead.

The UK RAC initiative has been long overdue and a great one. I would like to thank all those who voted for me and indeed those who took the initiative in the first place for this RACs formation, including Ben Eke, Tjebbe Roestenburg and Charles Cooper our current Chairman.

Not only has the standard been now set for setting up other RACs around the world but actions agreed at our meetings this year have already seen their way to becoming IRATA policy. This RAC has the largest number of member companies in the world associated with it and such is a vital voice in the decision making process of our Association.

There is much more to do in the coming year but I would like to encourage all our RAC members to attend our regular meetings around the country and contribute their thoughts to the future of Rope Access in UK.

All the very best.

 

Graham Burnett

 

IRATA is the sole global trade association in the work-at-height sector; it has member companies in every continent.

Industrial rope access has been developed by IRATA in the last 25 years to a point where it is the chosen means of access for much of the work in the offshore oil and gas industry as well as a range of projects in construction, civil engineering, the built and natural environment and much more. Its success is based on thorough training and strict work guidelines that deliver an unrivalled safe working record year after year.

Total Access are proud to work so closely with IRATA.

 

To find out more about IRATA, RAC, TACS and much more please visit: http://www.irata.org/index.php

 

 

 

The first work and safety report, for 1989, covered a membership of nine companies. This report continues that process as IRATA approaches its 25th year with 277 member companies.  The report maintains the same format as predecessors summarising employment and work hour data followed by analysis of accident and incident data

 

Overview

Membership of the Association increased to 277 worldwide, representing a reported work force of over 12,500 by year-end 2013. Total working hours closely approached 16 million of which 7 million was for work ‘on rope’.  Employment data was supplied by members operating from nine zones located worldwide.

There were 48 injuries and illnesses with eight reportable injuries including, sadly, one fatality.  The reportable injury rate was 85 per 100,000 workers; this was only a small fraction of any of the latest UK, Eu-rostat EU27, EU28 and USA work injury statistics, maintaining a re-markable record. There were four reportable injuries to those working on rope, one of which was the fatality.  There was little difference in injury rates between the three quali? ed working Levels which all lay in the range 3-6 per 1,000 workers, including all none reportable injuries.

The major causes of accidents and dangerous occurrences were human error followed by falling objects, being caught by tools and equipment failures. Body part injuries were mainly to legs, head, neck and face/eyes.

A number of areas are identi?ed in the report where improvements in safe working could be achieved including better communications with site management and personnel.

Generally, the 2013 health and safety statistics, as in previous years, were a credit to the members of the Association although the single fatality, when taken in isolation, was very detrimental compared to other fatality data.

To read more of the report, see all graphs and download the full pdf please visit: http://www.irata.org/index.php

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Members submitted two sets of reports:

Both sets of data are essential in order to calculate accident/incident rates. Total Access were more than happy to be involved again to produce the work and safety report.

Graham Burnett Total Access (UK) Ltd CEO and IRATA International Chair of Equipment & Standards Committee commented:

 

“I am delighted that our company has again been a significant part of these industry leading statistics now for the 25^th time. The record of safety they underpin is both a major credit to the Association, its audit and training programmes but equally all the committed technicians worldwide that everyday employ Rope Access as the safest, most efficient and cost effective means of addressing the access issues of the modern high rise world”

 

 

The report continues in depth to cover: Employment Statistics, Summary of Employment Levels, Summary of Hours Worked, Training and more.

To read more of the report, see all graphs and download the full pdf please visit: http://www.irata.org/index.php

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Here at Total Access we offer Level 1, 2 & 3 IRATA Rope Access courses and also offer refresher courses.

Rope access training ensures that workers are fit to climb and perform rescues in a safe working environment. Total Access (UK) Ltd carry out rope access training to IRATA guidelines and have numerous IRATA instructors training to a high standard.

To see each course or for more information about courses plase click the course image below.

 

 

As well as this we also offer a wide range of Rope Access Equipment

We have designed 3 rope access kits to suit everyones requirements, budget, standard and premium. To view each kit and find out about the products include please click on the product image below.

For more information, advice on alternatives or a price please contact our Equipment Sales Team at sales@totalaccess.co.uk.

 

 

For any more information about anything in this article please contact Total Access on: 01785 850333 or sales@totalaccess.co.uk

 

The application of IRATA International rope access methods for work on wind turbines document has been revised and uploaded on to IRATA website!

This document gives information additional to the guidance provided in the IRATA International code of practice for industrial rope access (ICOP), specifically when carrying out inspection, repair and maintenance of wind turbines located both onshore and offshore.

This guidance document should be read in conjunction with the IRATA international code of practice for industrial rope access (ICOP), should not be used in isolation and is not intended to be exhaustive. For further advice, readers should refer to relevant specialist publications, e.g. those
published by wind energy associations.

 

The following elements are covered within this document to provide guidance on a safe system of work:

a) internal access fall arrest and rope access;
b) external access rope access/work positioning/restraint;
c) rescue, i.e. the recovery of an injured or incapacitated person to a safe place;
d) evacuation, i.e. the exiting of a wind turbine in an emergency to a safe place.

 

In addition to the exclusions listed in the ICOP in Part 1, 1.1, Scope, elements not covered by this document are:

a) transfer to a wind turbine (by land, air or sea);
b) trade skills;
c) single-rope emergency personal evacuation systems

 

Topics covered also include:

2. Planning and management

3. Competence and training

4. Work team selection and size, management and supervision

5. Communication

6. Selection and use of equipment

7. Anchors and rigging

8. Care and maintenance of equipment

9. Emergency procedures: rescue and evacuation

 

There is much more information to be found in the original document on IRATA's website: www.irata.associationhouse.org.uk/windturbines

More infomation can also be found about our Milan Hub decives an our wind turbine training and services on our webpages, simply click each topic above

 

(source)

IRATA have issued the following 3 revised safety bulletins:

 

• Safety Bulletin 8 revised September 2013: Dangerous knot
• Safety Bulletin 25: Rope failure caused by unauthorised lift
• Safety Bulletin 26: Rope melted by cyclic pipework

 

Please go to http://www.irata.org/safety_notices.php to access the revised safety bulletins listed above.

 

These safety bulletins are currently only available in English.

The IRATA work and safety analysis for 2012 has been published. To take a look at the report, please click here.

A Southampton firm was today prosecuted after an outdoors activity instructor was left permanently disabled when he used a defective rope for a simulated parachute landing.

Joshua Senior, 25, plunged some nine metres to the ground at the Rock (UK) adventure centre in Carroty Wood, near Tonbridge, Kent, on 25 August 2010. Instead of allowing Mr Senior to descend in a measured way, the rope supplied by Pfeifer Rope & Tackle Ltd simply unravelled as he stepped off a platform for a practice descent.

Mr Senior, an experienced instructor from Tonbridge Wells, suffered a broken back and was paralysed from the waist down for some six months. He slowly regained some use of his lower limbs over the following year with the help of Stoke Mandeville Hospital. As he was regaining movement, it became clear his ankle had been crushed and his right foot had to be amputated.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated and today (15 August) prosecuted the company for serious safety breaches at Southampton Magistrates' Court.

The court was told that Pfiefer Rope & Tackle Ltd, of Marchwood, Southampton, which makes and supplies ropes and lifting equipment, had supplied batches of ropes at the request of Rock (UK) to use in a 'parafan' device – which simulates parachute landings.

The rope goes from the person's harness to the shaft of the parafan and the fan slows the person's descent to that of a real parachute landing. Mr Senior fitted the first rope of the new batch and carried out all the tests prescribed by the parafan manufacturer before performing the final test using the parafan itself.

However, because the company had used the wrong components when making this batch of rope eye-end terminations, as Mr Senior jumped from the climbing tower on which the Parafan was fitted, the rope parted from his harness and he fell to the ground 30 feet below.

The court was told that Pfiefer Rope & Tackle Ltd had not operated their quality control system. There had been a failure by the company to perform a simple measurement check on the end terminations to confirm they had been fully crushed.

Pfiefer Rope & Tackle Ltd., of Marchwood Industrial Park, was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £6,348 in costs after admitting breaching Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

After the hearing, HSE Specialist Inspector Steve Simmons-Jacobs said:

"This was an avoidable incident that has had a severe impact on a young life. It is only a matter of chance that this was not a fatality. As it is, Mr Senior has suffered life-changing injuries and has now been fitted with a prosthetic foot.

"Rope and sling manufacturers have a duty to their customers and others to ensure that the product is suitable for the designed loads and that their quality control systems are robust and effective at all times. Companies must realise that their systems may be critical to the health and safety of the people who use their products."

Source