Rope access is a method used to reach high or difficult-to-access areas via a rope and harness system. It is commonly used to conduct a variety of work including glazing, cleaning, installation, restoration, repair, waterproofing, and painting.
What are the Benefits of Rope Access?
Rope access is the access method of choice for many building owners, property managers, strata managers, and facility managers. This is because it presents many benefits over alternative methods of access. Some of these benefits include:
- Efficiency: Rope access equipment can be assembled and disassembled very quickly. This reduces time requirements, allowing for a more efficient service.
- Safety: Rope Access Technicians must undergo extensive training in order to conduct rope access work.
- Versatility: Rope access allows workers to access areas that would not be accessible using other methods. It does not restrict mobility and can be used in an abundance of areas ranging from confined spaces to large-scale high-rise buildings.
- Environmentally Friendly: As rope access does not require the transportation of large, heavy equipment through the supply chain and on-site, it releases much fewer emissions than alternative access methods.
- Minimises Disruption: Compared to alternative height access methods, such as scaffolding, rope access has minimal disruption on a building and the building’s occupants.
If you require any work for your high-rise building or other hard-to-access structure, get in touch with Magic Glass. Our certified Rope Access Division offers a variety of services for both commercial and residential clients. These services include:
- External window and facade cleaning
- Height safety installation
- Make safe services
- Facade inspection and reporting
- Facade remedial repair
- Safety and debris netting
- Bird proofing and pest control
- Rust removal
- Facade painting and waterproofing
- Signage installation and removal
And more!
Contact Magic Glass for more information.
If you own or manage a high-rise building, it is your responsibility to make sure it is inspected thoroughly and regularly. This will ensure your building is safe for all inhabitants and passer-byers, and prevent the need for expensive restoration and repair work as a result of unnoticed and untreated structural maladies.
Failure to get your high-rise building inspected regularly can result in severe structural complications that can inflict injury, cause mortalities, and leave Building Managers and Owners liable for negligence.
Read on to learn more about what building inspections are and why they are important.
What are High-Rise Building Inspections?
A building inspection is a routine inspection of the property. It is carried out by an accredited professional to identify any existing or potential issues with the structural stability of the building. Most inspections will include an assessment of the building’s foundation and roofing, exterior walls and facade, and height safety installations.
Why Do High-Rise Buildings Need Regular Inspections?
High-rise buildings are particularly susceptible to safety breaches. Ensuring your building is inspected regularly will therefore give you the best chance of making sure your building is in compliance with all relevant safety regulations. It will also prevent the occurrence of catastrophic building defects that can be hazardous to residents, workers, and the general public alike.
In addition, regular high-rise inspections can help identify and treat any minor issues before they become serious. This can prevent any major disruptions and expenses associated with major structural repairs and restorations, and increase the value of your property.
How Often Should High-Rise Buildings Be Inspected?
How often your building should be inspected is dependent upon a number of factors such as its age and environment.
In order to get an accurate idea of how often you should be having your building inspected, we recommended you get in touch with the Magic Glass team. We’ll be able to advise you on when you should get your building inspected, as well as provide you with a free quote.
Our Magic Glass Rope Access Division can carry-out thorough external building inspections quickly and with minimal-disruption. We can also perform high-rise window and facade cleaning, height safety installations, remedial repair works, and facade painting and waterproofing services.
Contact us today for more information.
Rope access is a relatively new form of access method that more and more businesses are beginning to employ. Because it’s so new and often perceived as ‘scary’, many people have questions surrounding rope access and its uses.
Fortunately, Magic Glass is here to answer some frequently asked questions about rope access.
What is Rope Access?
Rope access is a form of work positioning that allows workers to access difficult - to - reach areas without the need of scaffolding or aerial work platforms . It involves the use of ropes and harnesses to support the worker as they complete the required job.
Why Use Rope Access?
There are a multitude of reasons why rope access is becoming more commonly used. These include:
- Increased safety
- Increased versatility
- Less disruption to the building
- Increased efficiency
- More cost - effective
What are the Applications of Rope Access?
Rope access is most commonly used in the construction industry. It can be used for:
- Structural inspections of buildings
- Height safety insta llations
- High - rise window and facade cleaning
- Concrete repair
- Painting and waterproofing
- Glass repair and replacement
- Signage installation and removal
Can Anyone Become a Rope Access Technician?
In order to become a Rope Access Technician you must undergo mandatory IRATA training to become certified.
Magic Glass Rope Access Division
Our Rope Access Division can offer a number of services such as:
- External window and facade cleaning
- Height safety installation
- Make safe services
- Facade inspection and reporting
- Facade remedial repair
- Safety and debris netting
- Bird proofing and pest control
- Rust removal
- Facade painting and waterproofing
- Signage installation and removal
And more!
To get a free quote on your rope access job, contact Magic Glass today.
If you’re a property owner or strata manager, it is your responsibility to ensure your building is kept in good condition. This not only ensures that your building is looking good, but also ensures that it is safe for its occupants and the general public, alike.
An important step in doing this is getting regular facade inspections.
Regular facade inspections are critical in maintaining the safety and visual appeal of buildings. They can identify potential issues before they become major structural complications, in turn, saving you money and drastically reducing the risk of injury and mortality. Regular inspections can also improve the aesthetics and value of your property.
Facade inspections regularly pick up issues that cannot be seen from the ground and could be potentially dangerous if not fixed, such as cracked render and concrete.
It is generally recommended that building owners and managers get their property’s facade inspected every 5 years if their building is in excellent condition. If it is in fair condition, it should be inspected every 2-3 years, and if it is in poor condition, it should be inspected yearly.
If you notice any physical signs of deterioration, such as cracks, rust stains, deterioration around balconies, and displacement of stone, concrete blocks or bricks, you should get your building inspected immediately.
For facade inspections of both commercial and residential buildings, contact the Magic Glass team. Our experienced Rope Access Technicians can conduct thorough and efficient external property inspections for high-rise buildings of all sizes.
Call us today for a free quote.
When it comes to working at heights, implementing effective safety procedures is a must. Falls from heights are the second leading cause of work-related mortalities within Australia, so ensuring your building or worksite is secure and has preventative measures in place is critical.
The most common types of height safety systems are fall arrest and fall restraint systems. Although they are commonly used interchangeably, they have a number of key differences. Read on to find out more.
Fall Arrest Systems
Fall arrest systems are designed to protect workers in the event of a fall. When a worker falls, the arrest system will catch them, preventing the occurrence of injuries or deaths.
Fall arrest systems fall into two categories - personal and general. Personal fall arrest systems involve specific Height Safety PPE and attachment systems, such as harnesses and ropes. General fall arrest systems protect all workers as a whole rather than individually, such as safety nets and catch platforms. Both types of fall arrest systems should prevent workers from falling no more than two metres.
Examples of fall arrest systems include:
- Full-body harnesses
- Suspension belts
- Rope lanyards
- Safety nets
- Catch platforms
Fall Restraint Systems
Fall restraint systems are preventative safety measures. They are designed to prevent falls altogether, rather than catching workers after they have fallen.
Examples of fall restraint systems include:
- Guardrails
- Walkway systems
- Static restraint lines
These restraint systems are used for lower-risk situations, where falling is less likely or less hazardous.
Having effective fall protection systems in place is an absolute necessity in preventing workplace injuries and deaths.
If you’re unsure about your requirements or what fall protection equipment you should be using for your building or worksite, get in contact with Magic Glass for more information.
Whether your building is high-rise, low-rise, commercial or residential, chances are that it has faced some kind of building defect. More often than not, these defects are minor, however it is still important that they are remedied in order to prevent further damage and the occurrence of injury.
Read on for 5 common building defects that all property owners should be aware of.
1. Poor Roofing Materials
Poor roofing materials can lead to leaks, rusting, and erosion. Not only are these things detrimental to the visual appeal of your building, but they can also cause severe structural damage if left unresolved.
2. Drainage Issues
Problems with drainage often come up due to boycotted water outlets. When a gutter is blocked, it can affect the entire structure of a building and lead to future failures if not quickly addressed. Even bad rainwater drainage systems can result in leaks that can potentially ruin the walls and reduce the quality of the building structure.
Another common issue is blocked weep holes preventing water from being able to escape from a facade and causing leaks internally.
3. Structural Complications
These are the defects that you can find on the foundations of the house, such as wall cracks and misplaced wall posts. Structural complications should be addressed immediately as they can be a serious hazard to the health and livelihood of your building’s inhabitants.
4. Waterproofing Problems
These are defects related to poor drainage, leaking roofs, and any other problems related to poor waterproofing. As waterproofing problems can lead to structural complications, they need to be remedied as soon as possible.
5. Facade Defects
Facade defects occur on the exterior of a building. They include defects such as brick cracks and concrete spalling. Often these defects occur naturally through exposure to moisture or harsh weather conditions.
If you encounter any signs of these defects in or around your building, give Magic Glass a call. Our dedicated Rope Access Technicians can remedy all external building defects, regardless of the size and height of your building.
Proper maintenance of your building’s exterior is critical not only in terms of visual appeal, but also in terms of safety and functionality. Conducting facade inspections, cleaning and repairs can be a complex and time-consuming process, however. Fortunately, the use of rope access can make facade maintenance much more simple.
What is Rope Access?
Rope access involves the use of ropes and harnesses to traverse the exterior of buildings to conduct inspections, repairs, removals, installations, and cleaning services.
Due to strict training requirements and safety standards, rope access is considerably safer than alternative access methods such as the use of scaffolding and cranes.
Why is Rope Access Ideal for Facade Maintenance?
Aside from being the safest access method, rope access is also a faster, less-disruptive, and less-expensive method of carrying out facade maintenance work.
With little set-up and pack-up times, rope access drastically reduces the time it takes to carry-out facade work. This, in turn, cuts costs associated with labour and equipment and makes the process much more straight-forward.
In addition, the lack of scaffolds, platforms and cranes makes rope access a much more subtle process. This reduces disruption to your building and its inhabitants and won’t compromise your building’s visual appeal.
Rope access is also much more ideal for facade maintenance as it provides workers with greater mobility and flexibility to move around the building. This allows them to reach more difficult-to-access areas with very little restriction from equipment.
If you’re wanting to make the change to rope access, get in contact with the Magic Glass team today. Our dedicated Rope Access Division offers an abundance of services that will keep your building’s facade clean, safe and functional.
When it comes to Rope Access, an acronym that is frequently thrown around is IRATA. If you’ve heard this acronym but are unsure as to what exactly it means, this article is for you.
What is IRATA?
IRATA stands for the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association. This association was established in the United Kingdom in the 1980s as a means for providing a safe working environment in the oil and gas industry.
As these industries began to employ a number of industrial rope access techniques, it was recognised that ensuring these practices were safe was an important factor in maximising workplace health and safety. From this, IRATA developed their own rope access technique that emphasised safety and could be used in a range of repair, maintenance, inspection, and access work.
IRATA is now recognised as the world’s leading authority on industrial rope access. It has over 570 member companies globally and has trained roughly 130,000 Rope Access Technicians from a multitude of different countries.
IRATA directs and regulates the training of all Rope Access Technicians seeking IRATA qualifications and certifications.
What Does IRATA Do?
IRATA’s main activities include:
- Regulating the IRATA system as used by their members.
- Reviewing and updating policies and procedures relating to standards, audit, and assessment.
- Promoting and maintaining a high standard of industrial rope access activities in terms of safety and quality.
- Providing guidance and training of personnel involved in industrial rope access.
- Producing publications and guidance on safety, good working practices, training, and other related topics.
- Preparing submissions and providing opinions and advice to global government departments and organisations surrounding work at-heights, health and safety, and training.
- Ensuring safe rope access training and work procedures are introduced and developed.
- Supporting members with enquiries.
- Organising annual events for the rope access community.
What are the Objectives of IRATA?
The main aims of IRATA are as follows:
- To promote and maintain high standards in safety and work quality of practices in the industrial rope access industry.
- To improve the practices of individuals working in rope access.
- To promote continuous improvement in the education and training aspects of rope access.
- To increase awareness surrounding the advantages of rope access over alternative access methods.
IRATA plays a paramount role in promoting and encouraging safe rope access practices around the world. They offer thorough training and certification programs for Rope Access Technicians to ensure they maintain a high standard of safety and quality when carrying out work at-heights.
At Magic Glass, all our Rope Access Technicians are IRATA trained and certified. This ensures all our practices are of the highest safety standards, and all our work is of the best possible quality.
For any repair, maintenance, and installation requirements at-heights or in hard-to-access areas, get in contact with the Magic Glass Rope Access Division now!
Although rope access may appear scary to many, it is actually the safest option when it comes to height access work.
Compared to alternative methods such as scaffolding and cranes, rope access has very little risk. This is due to several factors outlined below.
1. Full Accreditation Required
In order to become a Rope Access Technician in Australia, you must be fully accredited and IRATA trained.
All Rope Access Technicians at Magic Glass undergo thorough training before they are permitted to work. This enables them to become familiar with all safety procedures and protocols and understand how to tackle all jobs at-height as safely as possible.
2. Less Equipment, Less Risk
Compared to using scaffolding or cranes, rope access requires very little equipment and set-up.
Because of this, there is less space where something could go wrong and less equipment that could fail.
3. Less Time, Less Risk
Rope access is also by far the fastest and most efficient method of height access work.
Because of this, there is less time for complications to arise or for something to go wrong.
4. Safer for Passer-Byers
Rope access is also much safer for passer-byers of the building or construction site.
This is because all tools required for the job at hand are secured to Technicians via ropes and harnesses. In the event that a Technician accidentally drops their tool, it will stay intact to the Technician instead of falling to the ground and potentially harming pedestrians and other workers on the way.
For all your rope access needs, get in contact with the Magic Glass team.
All of our dedicated Rope Access Technicians are highly experienced and IRATA trained.
Concrete cancer is an issue all building managers and owners should be familiar with. It can occur in any building and, if left untreated, can vastly affect its structural integrity.
What is Concrete Cancer?
Concrete cancer occurs when the steel reinforcements in a concrete slab begin to corrode. This causes the surrounding concrete to become brittle and crack, which can have drastic effects on both the functionality and visual appeal of the building.
Concrete cancer occurs most commonly when the steel reinforcements are exposed to air and water.
What are the Signs of Concrete Cancer?
Common signs of concrete cancer include:
- Cracking or crumbling concrete
- Rust stains emerging from the concrete
- Bubbling of the concrete render
- Leaks in internal walls.
What are the Causes of Concrete Cancer?
Concrete cancer can occur for a number of reasons. The mains ones being:
- Poor waterproofing
- Saltwater chlorides forming in buildings near the sea
- Harsh/wet weather conditions
- Concrete carbonation
- Poor quality concrete
- Insufficient concrete cover
- Ground movement under the building.
How do you Treat Concrete Cancer?
Concrete cancer treatment is predominantly dependent upon the cause of the problem. In the event of concrete carbonation or insufficient concrete cover, most technicians will opt for the application of a polymer modified repair system to the steel reinforcements of the concrete slabs.
In the event of weather damage or the formation of saltwater chlorides, it is common to treat concrete cancer with electrochemical treatment options, such as cathodic protection.
The worse the concrete cancer is, the harder it will be to treat. Early diagnosis is therefore key in preventing further structural damage and saving you money .
If you spot any signs of concrete cancer in your structure, you should contact Magic Glass as soon as possible.
Our qualified technicians will be able to identify the causes of your concrete cancer and inform you on your options for remediation. We also have a specialised Rope Access Division, so we can access all areas of your building, no matter its size.
Call us today for a free quote.
Fall arrest systems are an important part of all at-height construction and work sites. They play a critical role in reducing workplace injuries and fatalities caused by falls. To learn more about fall arrest systems and the different types, read on.
What are Fall Arrest Systems?
A fall arrest system protects workers in the event of a fall. If a person working near an unprotected edge should take a fall, the fall arrest system combined with a fall arrest harness will catch the person and prevent them from hitting the ground or area below.
It’s important to note that fall arrest systems are different to fall prevention systems. Fall arrest systems protect workers after they’ve fallen, whilst fall prevention systems prevent the occurrence of falls (such as edge protection and roof guardrails).
What are the Different Types of Fall Arrest Systems?
Fall arrest systems can be categorised as either general or personal. General fall arrest systems include nets and catch platforms, whilst personal arrest systems include lanyards and harnesses.
Some of the most common types of fall arrest systems include:
- Static Lines
- Anchor points
- Rope grabs
- Safety nets (ideal for worksites where there are no scaffolds, and the fall hazard is less than 25 metres)
- Rails
Many of these fall arrest systems involve anchor points. These are points where workers can attach their lanyards to anchor themselves to the building and catch them in the event of a fall.
Like all fall arrest equipment, it is important to get anchor points inspected regularly and ensure they are certified for use. All height Safety systems must be inspected and certified every 12 months by a certified professional.
When Should Fall Arrest Systems be Used?
Fall arrest systems should always be used when working at a height that could potentially cause injury in the event of a fall. This may include when carrying out electrical, glazing, cleaning, and roofing work.
Even if the risk of injury is minimal, at least one form of fall protection should always be used.
If you require height safety installation, get in contact with the Magic Glass team. We are highly experienced in installing, inspecting, and certifying a range of different height safety hardware including fall arrest systems, anchor points, safety ladders, ladder points, and temporary and permanent edge protection.
Bird-proofing your building can present countless benefits for you and your building’s inhabitants. These include:
1. Blocked Gutters and Property Damage Prevention
A common cause of blocked gutters and property damage is bird feathers and nesting ruminants getting stuck in gutters. This can cause blockages and clogs in gutters and downpipes that often lead to water damage.
2. Glass Awning Damage Prevention
Birds are known to pick up rocks from roofs and drop them over the edge frequently landing on glass roofs/awnings below. This can be extremely costly to replace the glass. Magic Glass can install either netting on the pebbled roof to cover the rocks and prevent birds from picking them up, or alternatively install a debris catch net above any glass awnings to catch the rocks and prevent glass breakage.
In addition, birds can damage tiles and shingles when roosting on building facades.
3. Improved Property Aesthetics
Birds can also damage the aesthetics of your building. Bird droppings and nesting ruminants can make your building look dirty and can even lead to permanent discolouration of your facade.
4 . Protection of the Health of your Building’s Inhabitants
Bird droppings and feathers can carry transmissible diseases and parasites. This can threaten the health and well-being of your building’s inhabitants.
5. Reductions in Nesting Noises
Birds can be loud, especially when they’re nesting. Bird-proofing your building will ensure that the inhabitants of your building can enjoy peace and quiet.
6. Ecosystem Protection
Bird-proofing encourages native birds to nest in nature, rather than in buildings. This keeps them safe and improves surrounding ecosystems.
Magic Glass can offer long-term bird-proofing solutions for all buildings, low and high-rise. Our bird-proofing and pest control services include:
- Bird spiking
- Pin and wire
- Bird netting
- Guano removal
- Trap and release of pests.
For more information, call us today.