Flagship Projects

• Roped Access & Maintenance to Cardiff Castle
• Rope Inspection & Repair
• Rope Access Tower Block Inspections
• Rope Access Inspect & Repair the Tallest Free-Standing Structure in the UK
• Rope Access Safety Work to Buildings for the Health & Safety Executive
• Abseiling skills used to clean Royal Albert Hall Organ
  
• Delamination NDT to Jet Engine Test Facility For Rolls-Royce
• Inspection & Investigation Works, 65 Tower blocks London Borough Council
• Investigation To Glazed Units and Fixings, Prada Museum, Madrid
• Paint and Coating Condition, Flood Light Towers, Blackpool FC
• Investigation Of Brick Slips and Brick Panels On 64 Tower Blocks

Removal of vegetation - Cardiff Castle

Technicians from leading roped access specialist, HRS Services, have just completed a challenging contract to remove vegetation from the inside and outside walls of the keep at Cardiff Castle.

Although Cardiff Castle can trace its history back over 2000 years, the present neo gothic structure was designed by architect William Burges in 1865 and given to the people of Cardiff in 1947 by the owner – the 5th Marquis of Bute.

As part of an ongoing conservation project, Main Contractors for the renovation of Cardiff Castle, Philip Turton Building & Contracting were contracted to clear away unsightly and potentially damaging vegetation from the walls of the keep.

Gary Canavan of Turtons realised that the unstable ground made conventional access methods unsafe and access for a mobile platform very difficult. Although scaffolding was considered it would be very expensive and take too long to erect and dismantle.

Roped access was the only option, offering several advantages including fast and easy set up and vacation from site; minimal disruption to other works and “hands-on” i.e. allowing close, tactile working.

Gary was concerned that the roped access specialists he had used on previously were not capable of the high degrees of care required for this delicate contract. “I found HRS by trawling the internet, made enquiries about
them from contacts and got nothing but good reports. Their tender was very competitive, so I had no hesitation in awarding them the contract.”

It was essential that there be no damage to the fabric of this Grade I listed structure so anchoring bolts were out of the question. HRS technicians therefore used a system of mobile counterweight anchors to position themselves around the external walls. This provided the necessary manoeuvrability and a stable basis for comfortable working, whilst imparting manageable loads on the delicate walls. A tied-off ladder protected by a safety rope was used for accessing the inner walls.

The contract was completed by two men in two weeks confirming that rope access was the only safe and practical way of completing this contract at this difficult site.

In conclusion Gary says: "Working with HRS has been a revelation. From our initial meeting to the final clearing away of the debris, their team demonstrated high levels of expertise and enthusiasm. They completed the work inside the tight deadline set and we would not hesitate to go back to them again. They really were very good from start to finish.''